Kevin Costner's ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ pulls 10-Minute standing ovation at Cannes

Kevin Costner was brought to tears after a ten-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival for his latest project, ‘Horizon: An American Saga.’ 

The four-part Western epic, screened in the Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 19, was co-written and directed by Costner, who also stars in the film. 

“I'm sorry you had to clap that long for me to understand that I should speak,” Costner joked after the applause finally subsided. “Such good people,” he continued. 

“Such a good moment, not just for me, but for the actors who came with me, for people who believed in me, who continued to work.”

Costner spoke further about the effort put into bringing his film to life.

“It's a funny business,” he admitted, “and I'm so glad I found it. There's no place like here.” 

Earlier, Costner posed for photos on the red carpet alongside five of his seven children, including 15-year-old Hayes, who appears in the film alongside his father.

“I'll never forget this,” Costner declared, his voice catching as he looked towards the front row where his children sat.  

But the focus soon returned to his passion project. “I made this,” Costner said, his voice firm. 

“It's not mine anymore. It's yours. I knew that the minute this was over and that's what it should be. I think movies aren't about their opening weekends. They're about their life and about how many times you're willing to share it.”

“I feel so lucky. I feel so blessed – and there's three more,” he announced, eliciting another roar of approval from the crowd.

“There was no reason that this was gonna happen, and it's just another miracle in my life,” he said.  “Thank you so much for giving me your precious time. I hope that this time was worth it for you. Thank you.”

‘Horizon: An American Saga’ marks Costner's return to feature film directing after a nearly two-decade hiatus. 

Set for release in two chapters, ‘Chapter One’ and ‘Chapter Two,’ this summer, the film promises a sprawling saga reminiscent of Costner's Oscar-winning masterpiece, ‘Dances with Wolves.’

“We believe Kevin only scratched the surface of that period, and we are thrilled to see him present an even deeper, more expansive view with these powerhouse stories,” declared Warner Bros. Pictures president Jeff Goldstein, hinting at the potential for a sprawling cinematic universe.

“Horizon is incredibly meaningful to me,” Costner told PEOPLE last year. “It's really been the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's exactly what I want to do.”