Sebastian Stan’s “magnificent” drama lands longest standing ovation at this year’s Cannes

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Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve’s latest film earned the longest standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival this year, with the audience applauding for a full 12 minutes after the screening. The film is competing for the top prize, the Palme d’Or.

Cristian Mungiu wrote and directed Fjord, a film about a Romanian-Norwegian couple—played by Reinsve and Stan—who move to the wife’s isolated hometown with their children.

The Gheorghius family quickly become friends with their neighbors, the Halbergs, despite having very different ways of seeing the world. These differences come to light when Elia, the Gheorghius’ teenage daughter, arrives at school with visible bruises.

With Fjord, director Cristian Mungiu makes his first film in English. He’s a familiar face at the Cannes Film Festival, having previously won the top prize, the Palme d’Or, for his powerful 2007 film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. He’s also received awards for his screenwriting on Beyond The Hills (2012) and for directing Graduation (2016).

The film received a remarkable 12-minute standing ovation, making it the longest of the year so far. This surpasses the 10-minute ovation given to James Gray’s Paper Tiger and the 11-minute celebration for Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden (according to Deadline).

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Although noteworthy, these ovations don’t compare to some of the longest in the festival’s history. Last year, Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, also featuring Renate Reinsve, received applause for 19 minutes. The longest ovation ever recorded at Cannes lasted an incredible 22 minutes, given to Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006.

Fjord was well-received at the Cannes Film Festival, with The Telegraph praising it as a powerful drama exposing the failings of those who claim to be morally righteous, and predicting it would evoke a strong emotional response from viewers.

Critics at Variety have praised Mungiu’s film for its keen understanding of how increased global connection can lead to both opportunity and conflict.

Next Best Picture also noted that Mungiu skillfully presents a conservative viewpoint without portraying the characters as villains. They praised the nuanced performances of Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, highlighting how they consistently challenge the audience’s empathy and make it difficult to choose sides.

Fjord doesn’t currently have a confirmed release date. Neon will be distributing the film in the UK, US, and other English-speaking countries.

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2026-05-19 15:49