O’Connor got his share of the attention, but when Reichardt came into frame, chants of “Kelly! Kelly!” rolled through the room. The film’s somber tone, and the clear analogy between the ’70s-era moral and political decline depicted and today’s America likely hampered a more boisterous response.

Kelly Reichardt's latest film "The Mastermind," starring Josh O'Connor as an art thief on the run, earned a 5.5-minute ovation at its Cannes premiere on Friday night. The applause brought Reichardt to tears,