Cannes 2012: Inside The Weinstein Company's 'Lawless' Premiere

As one of the most anticipated films of the festival, TWC and FilmNation’s premiere of John Hillcoat’s Lawless did not disappoint — and neither did the film’s exclusive after-party at Baoli beach on May 19.

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After receiving a nearly 10-minute-standing-ovation in the Palais theatre (and as any veteran fest-goer can attest, that’s a long one), the cast and production team were on cloud nine. In fact, the audience didn’t even wait until the end. During three of the film’s final key turns, the crowd erupted into three separate rounds of applause. The warm reception actually moved star Shia LaBeouf’s date to tears — his mother, Shayna.

“It was like a big cast reunion,” said one insider, who says the film was made so long ago on such a slim budget that the cast was very close while living in condos in Georgia. Once LaBeouf arrived at the party, he grabbed a cigarette and immediately made his way to a nearby pier to take in the view and seemingly take a moment alone to digest the evening’s events.

Jessica Chastain also arrived early to the party and snacked on the light passed appetizers being served and danced with friends to the music from a local French DJ.

Producer Harvey Weinstein didn’t make his appearance at the soiree until much later, having to stay on at the Palais for the premiere of his recently acquired Wayne Blair’s film The Sapphires (starring Chris Dowd, who also popped by the Lawless after-party).

The elusive Tom Hardy (who had to be coaxed into removing his Oakley sunglasses for the red carpet) even made a cameo at the party with his date to celebrate the film’s reception — the star jetted out the following day to begin work on his next project.

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Guy Pearce and newcomer Jason Clarke (who is expected to explode this year between Lawless and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby) holed up in a corner, next to the soft-spoken Mia Wasikowska, who was chatting closely to co-star Dane DeHaan.

When photographers invaded the corner, LaBeouf put his hand over his face — clearly indicating he was done with picture taking for the night. The star’s weight was also a hot topic of conversation, with one partygoer commenting to LaBeouf, “You’re back down to your fighting weight.” To which he responded, “I know, right?”

Also on hand we’re the film’s producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher. Despite being a veteran production team (the pair produced such films as Gladiator, Girl, Interrupted and Memoirs of a Geisha), this is the couple’s first trip to Cannes. Wick largely credits FilmNation CEO Glen Basner for really rallying behind the film (Basner screened the film at Cannes last year under the title The Wettest County).

“Glen did such great things with this movie,” Wick told THR.