⚡ The story in 20 seconds
- Who: French President Emmanuel Macron honoured Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro.
- What: Scorsese was raised to Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour. De Niro was made an Officer.
- When & where: Tuesday evening, September 22, 2026, at Villa Albertine in Manhattan, during Macron's UN General Assembly trip.
- Why: For their commitment to cinema and to preserving it.
- Surprise guest: Leonardo DiCaprio, who came with his parents.
Some nights feel like a movie scene. On Tuesday, Emmanuel Macron stepped away from world politics at the United Nations and walked into a room full of film history. At Villa Albertine, the French cultural institution on Fifth Avenue, he pinned France's highest honour on Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro — the director and actor behind Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas.
And watching from the crowd was Leonardo DiCaprio, the third member of Scorsese's great acting partnerships, who stayed close to the two men throughout the evening.
What happened at Villa Albertine
The ceremony took place on the evening of Tuesday, September 22, while Macron was in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly. According to AFP, both men were honoured for their commitment to cinema and its preservation.
Scorsese received the higher rank. He was raised to Grand Officer — the second-highest level of the order. De Niro was named Officer. Photos and video of the night were shot by the famous French street artist JR.
Where they sit in the Legion of Honour
The order has five ranks, from lowest to highest.
Why Scorsese got one of France's highest ranks
This is not Scorsese's first French honour. Back in 2005 he was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour and told the audience he owed "a great debt to French cinema." Two decades later, France moved him up the ladder.
The new rank recognises more than his films. For decades Scorsese has fought to restore and save old movies from around the world, and he has backed independent cinemas as streaming changes how people watch films.
🎬 The bigger picture: Just two weeks earlier, on September 7, Macron hosted the first Lumière Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, on the French Riviera. It focused on the future of cinemas in the age of artificial intelligence and streaming platforms. Scorsese publicly supported the summit, calling it the worldwide conversation the film industry needs. The New York ceremony was France's way of bringing Hollywood's biggest names into that fight.
De Niro and Scorsese: a partnership that started in 1973
Their story began with Mean Streets in 1973. What followed became one of the most famous director–actor teams in movie history: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull (which won De Niro the Oscar for Best Actor), Goodfellas, Casino, The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon. In total, they have made ten feature films together.
For their commitment to cinema and its preservation.
The official reason for the honours, as reported by AFPWhy DiCaprio was there — and why it matters
DiCaprio arrived with his parents, George DiCaprio and Irmelin Indenbirken, and stayed beside the two honourees for the evening. His link to both men runs deep.
De Niro worked with a teenage DiCaprio on This Boy's Life in 1993 and told Scorsese the young actor was impressive. That tip led to six Scorsese–DiCaprio films, from Gangs of New York to The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street. In Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), all three finally worked together.
Timeline: five decades leading to this night
The bottom line
France used one evening in New York to send a clear message: cinema is worth protecting. By honouring Scorsese and De Niro — with DiCaprio watching — Macron tied Hollywood's most famous partnership to his campaign for independent film and film heritage in the age of AI.
Frequently asked questions
What award did Martin Scorsese receive from Macron?
He was raised to Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, the second-highest of the order's five ranks.
What rank did Robert De Niro get?
De Niro was named an Officer of the Legion of Honour.
Where and when was the ceremony?
On the evening of Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at Villa Albertine on Fifth Avenue in New York, during Macron's visit for the UN General Assembly.
Was Leonardo DiCaprio honoured too?
No. DiCaprio attended as a guest with his parents. He already holds a French honour: Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, received in 2005.
How many films have Scorsese and De Niro made together?
Ten feature films, starting with Mean Streets in 1973 and including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon.
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