Martin Scorsese’s new film about the 1920 murders that ravaged an Oklahoma native American reservation got a rousing stand ovation at the Cannes Film Festival — the most applause the festival has seen thus far.
The audience’s thunderous applause lasted nine minutes, and continued well after the credits finished and the lights came back on, reports Variety.
The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone, and runs for three hours and 26 minutes.
“This was such a moving experience, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like this,” Scorsese said after the screening.
His new film investigates a string of murders of wealthy Osage people that took place in Osage County, as well as the birth of the FBI in the U.S.
The warm reception at the festival is a good sign for Apple Original Films, which reportedly gave Scorsese a $200 million budget to adapt the story from the popular 2017 book of the same name.
Gladstone, who plays an Osage woman targeted for her oil wealth, is already receiving rave reviews and had to fight back tears as the festival crowd cheered.
Some on social media were already tapping her performance as a potential award-winner.
The applause may have even lasted longer, had Scorsese not been handed the mic to deliver a speech afterward. The “Goodfellas” director took time to thank the Osage Nation, as well as Apple.
“Apple did so great by us,” he said, as he reminisced on the filming in Oklahoma. “There was lots of grass. I’m a New Yorker. I was very surprised. This was an amazing experience. We lived in that world,” he added.
DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Gladstone, and Jesse Plemons all star in the film and walked the Cannes red carpet ahead of the screening.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” will hit theaters on Oct. 20, and will be released on Apple’s streaming service at a later date.
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