During the filming , Foster developed a bond with co-star Robert De Niro , who saw " serious potential " in her and dedicated time rehearsing scenes with her . She described '' Taxi Driver '' as a life-changing experience and stated that it was " the first time anyone asked me to create a character that was n't myself . It was the first time I realized that acting was n't this hobby you just sort of did , but that there was actually some craft . " '' Taxi Driver '' won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival ; Foster also impressed journalists when she acted as French interpreter at the press conference . '' Taxi Driver '' was a critical and commercial success , and earned her a supporting actress Academy Award nomination , as well as two BAFTAs , a David di Donatello and a National Society of Film Critics award . The film is considered one of the best in history by the American Film Institute and '' Sight & Sound '' , and has been preserved in the National Film Registry
Cannes Film Festival
1976 Cannes Film Festival
Jodie Foster