Sebastian Stan and Renate Renette got emotional at the Cannes Film Festival as the family drama “Fjord” received a 10-minute standing ovation at its premiere Monday night.
Christian Mungiu’s film was screened at the Grand Palais and elicited strong audience reactions for its story of a Romanian family in Norway whose lives were divided after their children were taken away by state authorities due to alleged abuse.According to Variety, Fjord follows the Gheorghiu family, led by a Romanian father played by Stan and a Norwegian mother played by Reinsve. The family moves to a quiet Norwegian village, where they build a new life before coming under scrutiny.
Their children are then removed from their care, resulting in a painful legal and personal crisis.
‘Fjord’ premiere at Cannes garners emotional response
The Cannes audience reacted strongly during the screening, with viewers gasping as parents faced with the loss of their teenage sons, male and female, and infant. The film focuses on the conflict between strict religious beliefs, social norms, and state power. After the performance, Mongiu thanked the audience in French and English. He added: “I want to thank everyone here for their trust in me.”
The director also said that Cannes remains an important test for his work and whether the film will stand the test of time. The story follows the Georgios family after they settle in their mother’s hometown, a remote village near the bay. They soon became close to the neighboring Halbergs. The children from both homes grow closer, but the Georgios’ lives change when they face suspicion about their disturbing behavior.
Christian Mungiu returns to Cannes with the film “Fjord”
Mungiu has a long history with Cannes. He won the Palme d’Or in 2007 for the film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. He later won Best Screenplay in 2012 for “Beyond the Hills” and Best Director in 2016 for “Graduation.” His 2022 drama “RMN” also competed at the festival. Stan and Rensef are also Cannes veterans. Stan attended the festival for The Apprentice, while Reinsve won Best Actress for The Worst Person in the World. She also returned with the song “Sentimental Value”, which won the grand prize.
He chose Neon Fjord a year before it premiered at Cannes. The distributor also has “Hope” and “Paper Tiger” at Cannes this year.
