Nicole Kidman’s 'Babygirl' gets 6.5-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival

Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson turned up the heat at the Venice Film Festival on Friday night with the premiere of Halina Reijn’s provocative film, “Babygirl.”

In this A24 release, Kidman stars as a powerful CEO who begins a secret affair with her new intern, portrayed by Dickinson.

While “Babygirl” isn’t a typical art house film, it captivated the Venice audience. The film received a standing ovation lasting 6.5 minutes as the credits rolled at the Sala Grande Theatre.

As the crowd cheered, Kidman embraced Reijn, clearly pleased and slightly flushed by the enthusiastic response.

It was a sweltering evening in Italy, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees, making the night even hotter. “It’s so hot,” Kidman said while waving to fans before entering the theater. The film itself added to the intensity with its daring exploration of sexual power dynamics between Kidman’s character, Romy, and Dickinson’s Samuel.

After the screening, Dickinson was seen in the men’s restroom. “I almost didn’t sit through,” he admitted to a friend but later mentioned that he enjoyed the film.

“Babygirl” — which debuted in competition at Venice — also features Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde, and Esther McGregor.

Kidman has a notable history with the Venice Film Festival. At the 2004 event, she starred in Jonathan Glazer’s controversial psychological drama “Birth,” which elicited boos from the audience due to a scene where she shared a bath with a 10-year-old actor, Cameron Bright. At the press conference, Kidman addressed the controversy by saying, “It wasn’t that I wanted to make a film where I kiss a 10-year-old boy. I wanted to make a film where you understand love.”

Following its Venice premiere, “Babygirl” is set to make its North American debut at the Toronto Film Festival before opening in theaters in December.