How Was Lea Seydoux Starrer Cannes 2024 Opening Film The Second Act Received At The Event? Here’s What We Know

Quentin Dupieux's French comedy, The Second Act, received a 3.5-minute standing ovation at the 77th Cannes Film Festival opening night. Starring Lea Seydoux in the lead role, it got mixed reviews.

By Sweta Choudhury

Published on May 15, 2024 | 06:29 PM IST | 69.8K

Léa Seydoux- IMDb

Imagine receiving a standing ovation at an International forum for a film. A cloud nine feeling, right? Well, that just happened at the Cannes Festival 2024, which began this week. Quentin Dupieux's French comedy, The Second Act, received a lukewarm 3.5-minute standing ovation at the 77th Cannes Film Festival opening night.

The film features French stars Lea Seydoux (in the lead role) Louis Garrel, Vincent Lindon, and Raphael Quenard, among others. The entire cast of the film were present at the screening as they posed amid the applause after the film ended.

Plot of the film The Second Act

In the opening scene of the meta film, Florence (Seydoux) wishes to take her relationship with David (Garrel) to the next level, but he is no longer attracted to her and tries to pass her off to his homophobic friend Willy (Quenard). Florence's father (Lindon) is quite cool about meeting her new boyfriend. Or so it seems. As the movie progresses, each actor is revealed to be playing a different role from who they truly are.

The film opened in France the same day as it was showcased at the Cannes Festival 2024, and it received mixed reviews. Quentin Dupieux has an interesting approach of flipping or repeating certain punchlines to create a fresh impact. This technique manages to captivate the audience for a certain period of time. However, as you delve deeper, you realize that both The Second Act and its underlying messages don't offer much substance.

Lea Seydoux has gained recognition in Hollywood

French actress Lea Seydoux, who plays the lead role in this film, gained popularity among English-speaking audiences as a Bond girl in 2015’s Specter, and most recently as Lady Margot in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.

Furthermore, her role in the lesbian-themed movie Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013) earned her a Cannes Best Actress award, and the film also won the Palme d’Or. She served on the 2018 Cannes jury. Her role in Blue is the Warmest Color also cemented her position in Hollywood as an intense and versatile actress.

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