Cannes 2024: Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis starring Adam Driver gets 7-minute standing ovation at world premiere

The two-hour and twenty-minute dystopian drama divided viewers with its bold content, featuring scenes like a doctored sex tape starring Adam Driver and a Trump-like Shia LaBeouf.

By Monica Yadav -

May 17, 2024 - 10:46 AM IST

Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola's highly anticipated film, Megalopolis, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2024 on Thursday night, generating a mixed response from the audience. The two-hour and twenty-minute dystopian drama divided viewers with its bold content, featuring scenes like a doctored sex tape starring Adam Driver and a flamboyant, Trump-like character played by Shia LaBeouf.

Cannes 2024: Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis starring Adam Driver gets 7-minute standing ovation at world premiere

According to a report in Variety, despite the controversy, the film garnered immense respect for the legendary director. Upon entering the screening room, Coppola received a thunderous four-minute standing ovation, a testament to his enduring legacy. The emotional response continued after the credits rolled, which included a touching tribute to his late wife Eleanor.

A tearful Coppola dedicated the film to “hope and family,” hugging his co-stars Adam Driver and Giancarlo Esposito. “Thank you all so much,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “There are no words to express what this means to me.” After introducing his family present, Coppola emphasized the importance of unity and hope. “Cesar [Driver's character] says we're all one family,” he remarked. “We are one. We are the human family. As you saw at the end, that's who we should pledge our allegiance to: our entire family and to this beautiful home, Earth. That is my wish. That it's the children who will inherit this beautiful world from us. The most important word we have, the most beautiful word in any language, is 'esperanza.' Hope. And that's what I dedicate this to.”

Francis Ford Coppola gets a standing ovation at #Cannes2014 even if 90% of the room didn’t understand what his movie was about ???? #Cannes2024 #megalopolis pic.twitter.com/OSoj0h2DE4

— Elsa Keslassy (@ElsaKeslassy) May 16, 2024

フランシス・フォード・コッポラが製作費1億2000万ドルを自己調達したSF超大作「Megalopolis」がカンヌ映画祭にて7分間のスタンディングオベーションを浴びる。上映後のレビューは“まさに叙事詩”といった賛辞か“盛り込み過ぎで超退屈”といった批判の間で両極端な賛否両論に。 pic.twitter.com/ba4Abkh3mj

— 映画情報オスカーノユクエ (@oscarnoyukue) May 17, 2024

Megalopolis centers around a charismatic leader named Caesar (Driver), overlooking the ruins of a once-great city. This image sets the stage for the film's broader themes: a society teetering on collapse, crippled by greed and political turmoil. Yet, amidst the decay, there are dreamers like Caesar who yearn for a better future.

Megalopolis also stars Aubrey Plaza, Talia Shire, Jon Voight, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman, Fineman, Madeleine Gardella, Balthazar Getty, Bailey Ives, Isabelle Kusman, James Remar and D. B. Sweeney.