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"French cinema has a great place in my heart," said the 71-year-old, who later apologised for his emotional outbreak, which he blamed on his age.
"This medal will remain with me for the rest of my life -- unfortunately it doesn't give the magical power to speak French," he added.
French Culture Minister Christine Albanel paid a powerful tribute to Hoffman as "one of the greatest actors of our time."
The double Oscar-winner was moved to tears again as he reminisced about his love for French cinema and the master of the 1960s New Wave, Francois Truffaut, a "great man" who "died much too soon."
"In 1958, when I started studying acting in New York, we were aware my friends and I of something called the New Wave -- there was a small theatre in Broadway that played these films, made by great French directors.
"It was an extraordinary time for us," he said.
Hoffman paid special tribute to two seminal pre-New Wave works -- the 1945 tale of ill-fated love, "Les Enfants du Paradis" and Rene Clement's 1952 drama about a child fleeing the Nazi conquest of Paris, "Les Jeux Interdits."
"These are are films I will see over and over as the years pass," he said.
The US actor was set to receive a lifetime achievement award at France's Cesars film ceremony Friday night, from the hands of British actress Emma Thompson, his co-star in the Joel Hopkins romance "Last Chance Harvey."
A seven-time Oscar nominee, Hoffman won best actor for his roles in "Rain Man" and in "Kramer vs Kramer."
"This medal will remain with me for the rest of my life -- unfortunately it doesn't give the magical power to speak French," he added.
French Culture Minister Christine Albanel paid a powerful tribute to Hoffman as "one of the greatest actors of our time."
The double Oscar-winner was moved to tears again as he reminisced about his love for French cinema and the master of the 1960s New Wave, Francois Truffaut, a "great man" who "died much too soon."
"In 1958, when I started studying acting in New York, we were aware my friends and I of something called the New Wave -- there was a small theatre in Broadway that played these films, made by great French directors.
"It was an extraordinary time for us," he said.
Hoffman paid special tribute to two seminal pre-New Wave works -- the 1945 tale of ill-fated love, "Les Enfants du Paradis" and Rene Clement's 1952 drama about a child fleeing the Nazi conquest of Paris, "Les Jeux Interdits."
"These are are films I will see over and over as the years pass," he said.
The US actor was set to receive a lifetime achievement award at France's Cesars film ceremony Friday night, from the hands of British actress Emma Thompson, his co-star in the Joel Hopkins romance "Last Chance Harvey."
A seven-time Oscar nominee, Hoffman won best actor for his roles in "Rain Man" and in "Kramer vs Kramer."
