The Birdman moviemaker has been outspoken against the real estate mogul-turned-reality TV star ever since he described Mexican immigrants in America as rapists and drug smugglers, suggesting a great wall should de built at the U.S./Mexico border to prevent illegal immigrants from entering.

Last week (03Nov15), Inarritu and dozens of other prominent Latino figures added their names to a letter condemning Trump and his "hate speech", particularly criticising bosses at long-running U.S. sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live for recruiting the politician as celebrity host for Saturday's episode (07Nov15).

At the same time as Trump was appearing on live TV in New York City, Inarritu took to the stage on the other side of the country to accept a prize for his career achievements and publicly chastise Trump, while not saying his name outright, at the museum's annual Art + Film Gala.

"Cinema... is a bridge between the others and us," Inarritu said during his acceptance speech. "Unfortunately, there are currently people proposing we build walls, instead of bridges. I must confess that I debated with myself, if I should bring up this uncomfortable subject tonight. But in light of the constant and relentless xenophobic comments that have been expressed recently against my Mexican fellows, it is inevitable.

"These comments would be unacceptable if they were targeted against another minority, nevertheless, these millions of people do not have a voice or any rights - even though they have lived here all of their lives. These sentiments have been widely spread by the media without shame, embraced and cheered by leaders and communities around the US. The foundation of all this is so outrageous that it can easily be minimized as an SNL sketch, a mere entertainment, a joke."

"But the words that have been expressed are not a joke," he continued. "Words have real power; and similar words in the past have both created and triggered enormous suffering for millions of human beings, especially throughout the last century. If we continue to allow these words to water seeds of hate, and spread inferior thoughts and unwholesome emotions around the world to every human being, not only will millions of Mexicans and Latin American immigrants be in danger, but immigrants around the world now suffering, will share the same dangerous fate."

He concluded, "There is no human being who, as a result of desiring to build a better life, should be named or declared Illegal, and be dispossessed or considered disposable."