Casey Affleck turned his Venice Film Festival premiere into a full-blown family reunion this week, casting both of his sons in his new gothic drama "Company" and bringing brother Ben along for red-carpet support — all while revealing he lost both of his parents earlier this year.

"Company," which Affleck wrote with novelist Ron Hansen and directed, debuted Tuesday night at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival to a four-minute standing ovation, according to Variety. It's Affleck's third feature as a director and is competing for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion.

A Family Business

The gothic mystery weaves three interconnected stories spanning 1953 to 1975 — a hermit, a stranded actress and a farming couple caught up in a Colorado blizzard and its lingering violence. Affleck cast his 22-year-old son Indiana in what marks his second-ever film role, and 18-year-old son Atticus in his on-screen debut, per Deadline. The cast also includes Nick Nolte, Ben Mendelsohn, Adelaide Clemens, Scoot McNairy, Emily Alyn Lind and Affleck's longtime girlfriend, Caylee Cowan.

Indiana attended the Venice premiere alongside his father; Atticus, who filmed his scenes during a break from high school, was not present. Affleck told reporters directing his sons was "one of the best professional experiences" of his career.

"I lost both my mom and my dad this year and they're very important to me. I really wanted to show this movie to them and I didn't get to."

That comment, which Affleck made during Venice press conversations, was widely picked up by outlets including AOL/Yahoo Entertainment, adding an unexpectedly emotional undercurrent to what was otherwise a triumphant industry moment.

Ben Affleck showed up specifically to support his younger brother, walking the red carpet alongside him — a rare joint appearance for the two, who don't often turn up together at festival premieres. It's the latest instance of the extended Affleck clan showing up for one another on the awards-season circuit this fall.

Critical reaction has been split. The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap both filed cooler reviews calling the triptych structure uneven, while The Guardian praised the film. Deadline's own review noted the movie leans heavily on mood and grief over plot momentum. None of that dampened the room Tuesday night, where the ovation ran long enough that Affleck was seen visibly moved on camera.

Affleck previously won the Best Actor Oscar for "Manchester by the Sea" and has largely stayed behind the camera in recent years, directing smaller, personal projects. "Company" was produced on a modest budget relative to studio fare and does not yet have a confirmed U.S. distributor or release date.

What happens next hinges partly on Venice's jury: the festival's awards, including the Golden Lion, are set to be announced before the festival wraps, and a strong response there could accelerate a distribution deal. For now, the Afflecks — three generations deep into the family business — are letting the standing ovation speak for itself.