Bugonia earns six minute ovation at Venice premiere

Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos unveil Bugonia at Venice to a standing ovation and strong early reviews.

Emma Stone's Bugonia Transfixes Venice Draws Lengthy Standing Ovation

The world premiere of Bugonia took place at the Venice Film Festival in Sala Grande. The film, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone with Jessie Plemons, drew a rousing six-minute standing ovation that turned the cinema into a mix of silence and laughter as viewers digested its bold shifts in tone. The plot follows two conspiracy obsessed men who kidnap a powerful CEO they suspect is an alien, a premise that blends doom laden humor with sharp satire.

Bugonia is a remake of Jang Joon Hwan’s Save the Green Planet! and marks another collaboration between Stone and Lanthimos after the success of Poor Things. Focus Features is set to release the film. Critics praised its energy, the blend of explosive violence with slapstick humor, and the satirical jabs that push the story beyond simple thriller territory.

Lanthimos keeps pushing the edge by pairing a high concept setup with a playful delivery. The lengthy ovation signals festival appetite for bold cinema, even when its ideas may challenge comfort levels. If Bugonia reaches mainstream audiences, it could redefine Stone and Lanthimos as a duo capable of broad appeal without sacrificing their distinctive voice. The risk lies in polarizing viewers who crave gentler satire or clearer moral lines.

Highlights

Bold cinema often finds its home on festival stages.