The Power of Standing Ovations at Film Festivals
Standing ovations have become a significant part of the film festival experience, especially at prestigious events like Cannes and Venice. These moments are not just about celebration; they serve as a powerful marketing tool, similar to star ratings, but they carry an emotional weight that resonates deeply with the cast and crew.
As the Cannes Film Festival prepares for its 2026 edition, it’s worth reflecting on some of the most dramatic standing ovations and reactions to films at film festivals over the years.
The Voice of Hind Rajab (2025)
At the 2025 Venice Film Festival, Kaouther Ben Hania broke the unofficial record for the longest standing ovation with her film The Voice of Hind Rajab. This poignant story follows six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed along with her cousins, aunt, uncle, and two paramedics by Israeli forces in Gaza City in January 2024.
As the theatre erupted into applause, actor Motaz Malhees waved a Palestinian flag, prompting chants of “free Palestine.” The cast held up an image of Hind Rajab as many in the audience wept.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Until 2025, Pan’s Labyrinth held the unofficial record for the longest standing ovation at a film festival when the audience applauded for 22 minutes in Venice back in 2006.
COO of Picturehouse, Jeanne Berney, was in the theatre for the record-breaking moment and told Deadline it was a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.
“When the ovation started, everyone just kind of normally stands up and, you know, isn’t that great? The cameras are panning across,” she recalled.
“But then as it just kept going, and Guillermo’s warmth in the moment and his reaction as it continued to go on and on. We just couldn’t believe we were still clapping 10 minutes in, 15 minutes in, but nobody wanted to stop, and they were all so gracious.”
The Paperboy (2012)
Looking back, The Paperboy had a pretty stacked cast. So, it’s no wonder that in 2012 it received a 15-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, despite being somewhat of a flop upon its release.
But as the crowd clapped and cast members Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey took it all in, it was the moment Zac Efron began to cry that made this one of the more memorable standing ovations of recent times.
He was already a heartthrob, we didn’t need a reason to love him more!
The Neon Demon (2016)
Now, this film received a bit of a colder reception than most on this list, but that’s not to say it was any less dramatic. Plenty of people walked out of this psychological thriller starring Elle Fanning as an aspiring model in Los Angeles.
From the get-go, it seemed the applause at the end of the film was going to be bleak, so cast and crew were surprised when audience members stuck around for a whopping 17 minutes to applaud. However, reports state there were plenty of “boos” mixed in amongst the clapping.
The House That Jack Built (2018)
If you thought a few people walking out of The Neon Demon was bad, you should have seen the amount that ditched The House That Jack Built. With Danish director Lars Von Trier at the helm, it was always expected to be controversial, but the film, starring Uma Thurman and Matt Dillon, took things a step too far, even for Von Trier.
One attendee described it as “Gross. Pretentious. Vomitive. Torturous. Pathetic”, while a film critic said it was a “vile movie” that “should not have been made”. Those who didn’t walk out of the film seemingly only stuck around to boo it at the end.
So, kind of the opposite of a standing ovation – a sitting boo?
The Whale (2022)
Who could forget Brendan Fraser’s emotional moment in Venice? When The Whale‘s credits rolled, the audience stood to applaud for six minutes. What did Fraser do? Well, he wept the whole time. The role went on to land him the Oscar for Best Actor.
Maria (2024)
Angelina Jolie poured her heart and soul into the role of Greek opera singer Maria Callas, so of course she teared up at the film’s premiere. The crowd stood and applauded for eight-minutes as countless attendees began to cheer, “Angelina! Angelina! Angelina!”
Frankenstein (2025)
Our Aussie boy teared up in Venice! Brisbane local Jacob Elordi just couldn’t hold it together when his film Frankenstein received a 13-minute standing ovation at last year’s festival. He took in the moment alongside director Guillermo del Toro and costar Mia Goth before turning to the audience to bow his head.
The Smashing Machine (2025)
WWE wrestlers cry too! The tears just kept flowing as the audience applauded The Smashing Machine for a whopping 15 minutes. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was the first to set off the waterworks, with director Benny Safdie soon to join in and the film’s inspiration, Mark Kerr, also shedding a tear.
Testament of Ann Lee (2025)
A religious musical is never going to be an easy win, but audiences seemed to love Testament of Ann Lee as they applauded for close to 16 minutes. The film stars Amanda Seyfried as the founder of the religious sect the Shakers. So, as the house lights rose and Seyfried’s tears began to flow, she joined director Mona Fastvold in the Shakers’ signature arm-pumping dance.
