Film festivals like Venice and Cannes have become more infamous than ever in recent years because of what's been dubbed in movie circles as the "standing ovation epidemic." More and more each year, the big ticket titles are being lavished with endless seconds of applause, ranging from a casual couple minutes to a whopping 10+. While casual fans wonder whether anyone ever loses all sensation in their hands for a long session (try clapping for 12 minutes at a stretch and see how that feels), it's a notable sign of the awards season to come.
Opinions on ovations as a competitive sport have varied. One social media user wrote in response to the latest clip from the Venice Film Festival: "istg every movie shown at the venice film festival gets a long ass standing ovation," with another saying: "Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein just snagged a 13-minute standing ovation at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Let that sink in: 13. minutes. You could bake a cake or at least check Instagram twice in that time. No, seriously. Thirteen. Full. Minutes. of applause. Wild."
While an ovation is not the most accurate representative of what a film's eventual critical and audience reception will be like, it is a metric by which the popularity of its stars or IP can be judged. Lest we forget, Joker: Folie à Deux received between 10.5-12 minutes of applause, before eventually hitting theaters to become a box office bomb with a 31% Rotten Tomatoes score. It's not a monolith, but it's a good popularity meter.
Take a look at the longest standing ovations doled out at the 2025 Venice Film Festival so far, from love for Julia Roberts and George Clooney, to tears from Amanda Seyfried and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (keep in mind, numbers may vary). And relive all the ovations from last year in the video below...
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "La Grazia"
La Grazia: 4 minutes
Paolo Sorrentino's La Grazia opened the festival on August 27, earning anywhere from four to six and a half minutes of applause. The understated drama stars Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti and documents the final moments of a fictional Italian presidency.
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "Father Mother Sister Brother"
Father Mother Sister Brother: 5 minutes
Jim Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother earned a strong five minutes for its ensemble cast, comprising Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Rampling, Mayim Bialik, Luka Sabbat and Indya Moore (Adam and Tom couldn't attend). The film connects three stories that speak of the relationships between parents and their children.
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "After the Hunt"
After the Hunt: 6 minutes
Critic favorite Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt earned six minutes, lavished in particular at stars Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield, with the former getting noticeably emotional. The film features a college professor (Julia) who questions her own life when a student (Ayo) comes forth with an accusation against her co-worker (Andrew).
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "Bugonia"
Bugonia: 7 minutes
Yorgos Lanthimos made magic with Emma Stone once again! The Poor Things duo earned seven minutes for Bugonia, which also stars Jesse Plemons and Alicia Silverstone. Bugonia centers around a CEO kidnapped by two employees who believe she's an alien, and proves that Emma shaving her head may have done her good!
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "No Other Choice"
No Other Choice: 8 minutes
South Korean auteur Park Chan-Wook's first time at Venice with No Other Choice earned an eight-and-a-half-minute ovation. The murderous black comedy, based on the 1997 novel The Ax, stars Lee Byung-hun, Son Yejin, Park Hee-soon and Lee Sung-min about an increasingly despondent and desperate former paper company employee.
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "Jay Kelly"
Jay Kelly: 10 minutes
Noah Baumbach's Netflix coming-of-age production Jay Kelly earned George Clooney and Adam Sandler a strong 9.5-10 minute ovation. Also starring Laura Dern and Billy Crudup, it centers around the titular character (George), an aging actor who contemplates life while exploring Europe with his manager and best friend (Adam).
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "The Wizard of Kremlin"
The Wizard of Kremlin: 10 minutes
Olivier Assayas brought his controversial but seemingly now beloved take on Vladimir Putin's rise to power, The Wizard of Kremlin, to Venice with a 10-12 minute standing ovation. The film has also earned notable plaudits for its leading cast, Jude Law, Paul Dano and Alicia Vikander.
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "Frankenstein"
Frankenstein: 14 minutes
Guillermo del Toro's lifelong passion project, Frankenstein, stunned audiences at Venice and earned a whopping 14 minutes of acclaim. It notably left the iconic filmmaker in tears, a similar fate befalling its lead Jacob Elordi, who co-stars with Mia Goth, Oscar Issac and Christoph Waltz.
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "The Smashing Machine"
The Smashing Machine: 15 minutes
The Rock really is cooking! Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine saw Dwayne Johnson not only shed some pounds to play '90s fighting legend Mark Kerr, but also break down in tears with its 15-minute standing ovation after its premiere at the Lido, supported by his co-star and now close friend Emily Blunt.
© Getty ImagesThe stars of "The Testament of Ann Lee"
The Testament of Ann Lee: 15 minutes
Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, a biographical depiction of the Shakers founder, currently tops Venice's tally so far with another 15+ minute ovation, leaving its lead Amanda Seyfried in tears. She stars alongside Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott and Matthew Beard.
