In light of his recent decision to pull anti-vaccination documentary, Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe, from the Tribeca Film Festival, world-acclaimed and notoriously private actor, Robert De Niro, chose to open up about his private life.
Justifying his decision to remove the documentary from the festival's 2016 line-up, the 72-year-old veteran actor explained that while the issues explored within the documentary play a role in his family life, the documentary fails to contribute to the discussion that he, the Tribeca Film Festival team and the scientific community had hoped.
"My intent in screening this film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family," he explained. "But after reviewing it over the past few days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for."
"The Festival doesn't seek to avoid or shy away from controversy," he insisted in the statement. "However, we have concerns with certain things in this film that we feel prevent us from presenting it in the Festival program. We have decided to remove it from our schedule."
Speaking on behalf of himself and his wife of 19 years, the Taxi Driver star explained in a statement: "Grace and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined."
Making his feelings on the matter clear, the father-of-six, who is considered one fo the greatest actors of our time, said: "I am not personally endorsing the film, nor am I anti-vaccination."
Robert and Grace's son, Elliot, was born in 1998 and while the actor has, in the past, alluded to the fact that he has a child with special needs, this is the first time he has confirmed his son's diagnosis.
