Matt Damon Gets Emotional During 5-Minute Standing Ovation for ‘Stillwater’ at Cannes

Matt Damon’s new movie, Stillwater, received a five-minute standing ovation at the Cannes film festival, and the rousing response sparked an emotional reaction from the film’s star. After the credits rolled ion the film’s screening, the crowd stood up and began to applaud the cast. Damon was noticeably overwhelmed by the response and began to tear up.

Notably, Variety reports that Damon entered the screening to a standing ovation from his fans and peers as well. The outlet noted that the Oscar-winner took time to pose for photos, sign autographs, and even took a video of the crowd. Coincidentally, Adam Driver’s new film, Annette, also garnered a long ovation from the Cannes audience. The actor’s reaction was quite different from Damon’s, however, as he opted to light up a cigarette and wait for the applause to end.

In Stillwater, Damon plays Bill Baker, a blue-collar dad who “works to exonerate his estranged daughter of a murder she never committed.” The film also stars Abigail Breslin (Zombieland) as Damon’s on-screen daughter, Allison, who is incarcerated in France. French actress Camille Cottin (Killing Eve) appears as well, playing a single mother who helps Damon’s character as he fights to free Allison.

The film’s plot bears some small similarities to the real-life story of Amanda Knox, who was convicted of the 2007 murder of her roommate in Italy when she was 20 years old. Knox spent four years behind bars before being acquitted by the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation. There is no word on if Knox’s story was a direct inspiration for Stillwater.

The film is directed by Tom McCarthy, from a script he wrote with Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain, Noé Debré. McCarthey is most well-known for writing and directing the Academy Award-nominated films The Visitor and Spotlight, which also earned him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. However, he has also directed episodes of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, as well as an unaired pilot for Game of Thrones.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the film, McCarthy shared some insight into Damon’s character, explaining that he and his daughter have a “very fractured relationship.” The director added, “He’s a guy that’s had a difficult life, he’s struggled, but he sort of tried to make amends and do what’s right, I think, when we meet him.” Stillwater is set to open in theaters on July 30.