Matt Damon has admitted the Cannes Film Festival had a “deeper meaning” for him this year.

The 50-year-old actor showcased his new movie ‘Stillwater’ at the annual event in France last month and he admitted he got “a little emotional” watching the film with so many other people after growing accustomed to watching things alone at home because of coronavirus lockdown measures.

He said: “There was the added Covid factor, which was that I hadn’t been in a movie theatre with 1,000 strangers in SO long.

"And that reminder of why we need that, why it’s so important. I have been to Cannes four or five times but it has a deeper meaning for me having had that experience.

“You get accustomed to watching things at home on your TV and without any experiences in a cinema, that starts to become the new normal.

“Then to suddenly have this experience in a cinema, you’re like, that’s why we do this!

“So the moment snuck up on me and I got a little emotional because I just felt this overwhelming relief and joy and gratitude.”

The screening received a standing ovation which lasted more than five minutes, and Matt found such a positive reception “really moving”, particularly because the film had been delayed for so long

He told Big Issue magazine: “That moment kind of snuck up on me.

“There was a lot going through my mind.

“I was happy the film had played so well, obviously, because I’m really proud of it and we worked really hard on it – and we’ve been holding on to it.

“It was supposed to come out last year but the pandemic changed those plans. So after that long wait, to have that kind of reception was really moving.”