LionsGate/Open Road scheduled a sneak screening for film buyers of Stewarts directorial debut "Rosewater." Stewart shot the movie in the summer of 2013, taking 12 weeks off. His replacement, John Oliver, did so well that he has his own HBO show now.

"Rosewater" was not screened for press and no one knew that the screening was even taking place. But the turnout. Im told, was huge, and the movie was well received. Stewart said hed never been to Cannes before, and had to get back to the Daily Show.

In "Rosewater," Gael Garcia Bernal plays Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari. Also a filmmaker, Bahari was arrested in June 2009 and held until October, tortured until he admitted that American journalists in Iran were actually spies.