Priscilla Presley was moved to tears after the upcoming biopic "Elvis" received a 12-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
With the audience on its feet, an emotional Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis Presley from 1967-73, hugged director Baz Luhrmann and an equally teary-eyed Austin Butler, who played Elvis in the film, Variety reported. Taking the microphone, Luhrmann admitted to the audience that when production was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it felt like "Elvis" was "never going to happen."
“But for the bravery of [Tom Hanks] to come back, and the bravery of this cast and this crew to go on through COVID and to finish this film, and we are back in Cannes, and to see these streets so full of people who love movies, of every form of life and every background and every kind of movie, there’s so much more about what this place means and what it means to be back in the cinema," Luhrmann said. "And for that, we are eternally grateful, Cannes."
Earlier this year Priscilla Presley revealed that she had a private screening of "Elvis" and applauded Luhrmann for his depiction of the relationship between Elvis and his manager, Colonel Parker, played by Hanks.
"It is a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique artistic way, could have delivered," Priscilla Presley wrote in a Facebook post. "Austin Butler, who played Elvis is outstanding. Halfway through the film Jerry and I looked at each other and said Wow!!! Bravo to him."
Priscilla Presley said there were "two sides to Colonel."
"The story, as we all know, does not have a happy ending," she added. "But I think you will understand a little bit more of Elvis’ journey, penned by a director who put his heart and soul and many hours into this film."