Robert De Niro cofounded the Tribeca Festival — and now he’s getting a fest of his own for his 80th birthday.
“De Niro Con” will be a three-day fan event in celebration of the enigmatic “Raging Bull” icon at Spring Studios in New York, and will run from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
The event will feature appearances by De Niro himself, natch, plus “recreations of iconic film sets, immersive installations, classic film screenings, musical performances, and panel conversations,” along with some guest stars, a statement said.
His Tribeca cofounder and producing partner Jane Rosenthal said at a ceremony on Wednesday night, where Mayor Eric Adams presented De Niro with the key to the city, “It’s hard to know what to get Bob for his 80th birthday.”
She mused: “He’s already got a gold watch, so we decided to celebrate him and his enduring legacy with a fun filled fan event as well as pay tribute to his unwavering dedication to his films, art, and the city he loves.”
The announcement was made at De Niro’s Tribeca Grill before the 2023 Tribeca Festival’s opening night.
Guests included Martin Scorsese, Matt Damon, Zazie Beetz, Mark Ruffalo, Brendan Fraser, Dianna Agron, Billy Porter, Julian Schnabel, Debra Messing, Noah Centineo and Piper Perabo.
Scorsese said: “Bob’s a visionary,” and called the Tribeca Festival, “an indomitable institution and a beacon.”
Mayor Adams added of De Niro: “From ‘Mean Streets’ and ‘Taxi Driver’ to ‘Raging Bull,’ and ‘Goodfellas, [De Niro’s] work remains an iconic part of New York City, as much as he is himself… For his decades of contribution to film and philanthropic support of New York City, I am honored to present Robert De Niro with a Key to the City of New York.”
De Niro, 79, later attended the opening night of the fest — a screening of the U2 documentary “Kiss The Future” — with his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, 45, two months after they welcomed a daughter, Gia, De Niro’s seventh child.