Cannes' Standing Ovations: Genuine or Manufactured?

Cannes Film Festival's Standing Ovations: A Marketing Tool or Genuine Appreciation? The Cannes Film Festival is known for its glamorous premieres and enthusiastic audience reactions. However, a recent video by Kit Lazer, a film reviewer who attended the festival, challenges the assumption that lengthy standing ovations always reflect genuine appreciation for a film's quality. Lazer argues that several factors contribute to the duration of these ovations, including the formal atmosphere of the gala events and the presence of a camera crew projecting a live feed of the event onto the movie screen. "They drink a lot of tea here," Lazer quips, adding a lighthearted touch to his observations. He suggests that the formal setting and the cultural context of Cannes create an environment where prolonged applause is expected, regardless of individual opinions about the film itself. Lazer also points out the strategic use of these ovations for marketing purposes. The extended applause, captured on camera and widely shared, can be used to generate buzz and promote the film and its actors. He illustrates his point by describing the way the camera crew focused on each actor individually, extending the applause for each. While the length of standing ovations may not always reflect the true sentiment of the audience, they remain a significant part of the Cannes experience, adding to the festival's unique atmosphere and glamour. The video raises important questions about the balance between genuine appreciation and the influence of external factors in shaping audience reactions.