Accompanied by his wife Grace Hightower, who was wearing a white raincoat, and a large delegation from the Tribeca Film Fest, which he co-founded, Robert De Niro, in a blue jacket and light blue shirt, walked quickly down the red carpet without heeding the endless and pressing requests by the hundred of photographers behind the walkway’s barricades. He was greeted by the city’s mayor Walter Veltroni.
De Niro then spoke with audiences in the Auditorium’s Sala Sinopoli. Mario Sesti and Vincenzo Mollica kicked off the event, mentioning first of all the presentation of Italian citizenship to the legendary American actor. “The circle closes, my family’s destiny is fulfilled, I can finally say I’ve come home. I’m happy for my children, who will be Italian like me.” In regards to the matter, Veltroni said: “Presenting Robert De Niro with an Italian passport is a simple gesture of, however, great importance. If a Roman passport existed, we would have given him that as well”.
Many film and entertainment industry personalities were in the Sala Sinopoli, including Stefania Sandrelli, Abel Ferrara, Massimo Ghini, Alessio Boni, Gianni Minà and Rodolfo Corsato.