Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve were moved to tears as Cristian Mungiu’s family drama Fjord received a prolonged standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival.

On Monday night, May 18, the drama marked one of the most emotional receptions of the event so far. 

The screening at the Grand Palais saw audiences respond with a 10-minute ovation for the film, which stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve in a story centred on a Romanian-Norwegian family whose lives unravel after relocating to a quiet village in Norway.

Directed by Cristian Mungiu, Fjord follows a strict religious Romanian family that emigrates to the Norwegian coast, where cultural tensions and growing suspicion from authorities lead to devastating consequences. 

The film escalates when the couple’s children are removed amid allegations of abuse, triggering an emotional and legal crisis.

During the premiere, audience members were visibly shaken, reacting audibly at key moments as the narrative unfolded on screen. The intensity of the response culminated in a lengthy standing ovation, with cast members appearing visibly emotional.

Mungiu addressed the audience after the screening, speaking in both French and English, and thanked the Cannes crowd for their reception. 

“I want to thank everybody here for trusting me," he said.

He added that the festival remained the ultimate test of whether a film resonates beyond its immediate release.

Fjord centres on the Gheorghiu family, Stan as the Romanian father and Reinsve as the Norwegian mother, who initially settle into life in a remote village and form bonds with neighbours. 

However, escalating scrutiny over their behaviour leads to intervention from authorities, tearing the family apart and pushing the story into a tense exploration of trust, culture, and state power.