Cannes 2023: Jude Law, Alicia Vikander’s ‘Firebrand’ gets eight-minute standing ovation

Karim Ainouz, Alicia Vikander and Jude Law at Cannes 2023

Actors Jude Law and Alicia Vikander’s period film Firebrand received an eight-minute-plus standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival 2023 on Sunday.

According to Deadline, Firebrand stars Oscar winner Vikander as Catherine Parr, the final wife of Henry VIII, a feminist force to be reckoned with who outlived the notorious king; the fate of his wives being either divorced, dead or beheaded. She is named Regent with the king warring abroad, and she’s done everything she can to push for a new future based on her radical Protestant beliefs.

Law plays a royal on his way out, having returned from fighting with a dire condition on his right leg. Palace intrigue abounds entailing Henry squaring off with the Seymours brothers, one of them having their eye on Catherine, and the king ultimately fading.

The film is helmed by Brazilian-Argentinian filmmaker Karim Ainouz and penned by Henrietta Ashworth and Jessica Ashworth. Firebrand also makers Ainouz’s english language debut. Ainouz’s track record at Cannes includes Invisible Life, which won the Un Certain Regard award at Cannes in 2019, as well as, Mariner of the Mountains which premiered in Cannes 2021.