95-year-old June Squibb gets 5-minute standing ovation at Cannes for Scarlett Johansson's Eleanor the Great

Scarlett Johansson made her directorial debut at the Cannes Film Festival with Eleanor the Great, starring June Squibb in the lead role.

Actor Scarlett Johansson made her directorial debut at the Cannes Film Festival with Eleanor the Great, starring 91-year-old June Squibb as the lead. The film received a 5-minute standing ovation after the screening, with videos of June and Scarlett beaming as they soak up the love. (Also Read: Jurassic World Rebirth trailer: Scarlett Johansson battles mutant dinosaurs; fans ready for ‘Alien meets Jurassic Park’)

File photo of actors Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb talking backstage during the 97th Annual Academy Awards.(AFP)

5-minute standing ovation for Eleanor the Great

Variety confirmed that Eleanor the Great received a 5-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. The film tells the story of 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein, who moves to New York City from Florida for a fresh start. While initially it proves difficult for her to make new friends, she strikes an unlikely friendship with a 19-year-old student. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht, and Erin Kellyman also star in the film, which marks Scarlett’s first directorial. It had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Internet reacts

Heartwarming videos of June and Scarlett smiling wide as they received a standing ovation made rounds on social media after its screening. “It’s not every day that a 95-year-old gets a standing ovation at Cannes. Here’s June Squibb, the lead of Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut ELEANOR THE GREAT, soaking up that love,” wrote a person on X (formerly Twitter), sharing the video. Another wrote, “I love her so much.” One fan wrote, “A beautiful moment shared between two incredible talents on a well-deserved night.” while another called it “long overdue.”

Scarlett Johansson’s reaction to the ovation

After the ovation, Scarlett gave June a long hug. After the clapping petered out, according to the publication, she said, “It’s a film that I feel is historic and also very timely now, and so I hope that you all carry it with you the way that I carry Eleanor with me.” She also described her lead actor as ‘truly inspiring’.