Knock Down the House: Watch Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Receive Standing Ovation From Sundance Audience After Documentary Screening

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez received a rapturous standing ovation after making a surprise video appearance at the Sundance Film Festival during the premiere of the movie Knock Down the House.

The New York Democrat answered questions following the screening of Rachel Lears's documentary which follows the campaigns of four female congressional hopefuls, of which Ocasio-Cortez features heavily.

The film was one of the most hotly anticipated documentaries to be shown at the festival, with all of the screenings sold out weeks in advance. While the campaigns of Cori Bush, Amy Vilela and Paula Jean Swearengin ultimately proved unsuccessful, Lears managed to strike gold by following the then 28-year-old bartender Ocasio-Cortez throughout her historic victory against Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary of New York's 14th congressional district.

According to Fox News, the enthusiastic audience gave "loud ovations" whenever Ocasio-Cortez appeared on screen during the film.

Appearing via video at the MARC Theater in Park City, Utah, Ocasio-Cortez told the crowd that this was the first time that she had seen the movie in its entirety.

"This is my first time seeing [the film] in its final form I'm still kind of recovering from the tears myself," she said.

"But I'm just so glad that this moment, for all four of us, was captured and documented—not just for the personal meaning of it, but for really everyday people to see that, yes, this is incredibly challenging, yes, the odds are long, but also yes, that it's worth it, and each and every single person who submits themselves to run for office is doing a great service to this country, including Amy, Paula and Cori."

Elsewhere, Ocasio-Cortez discussed the emotional toll all four women at the center of the film experienced as a result of their political campaigns.

"One of the things that doesn't get discussed enough is the immense personal cost, the spiritual cost, the material cost, and the future cost, because when you lose—or if you lose—there's a huge risk in the aftermath of that as well," she said, reports The Daily Beast. And even when you win, there's a huge cost as well spiritually, too," explained Ocasio-Cortez.

The appearance was even more of a surprise as Ocasio-Cortez previously announced that she would not be attending the premiere as a result of the government shutdown. "For almost two years, a mom followed several women as we ran for Congress. I was one of them," she tweeted on January 26, the day before the premiere. "Due to complications from the gov shutdown, I'm sad to say I'll miss @jubileefilms' premiere of Knock Down the House. This film was made, with love, for people."

Other highly anticipated documentaries which premiered at Sundance include Leaving Neverland, which details child abuse allegations against Michael Jackson and Untouchable, which looks into the sexual assault allegations surrounding Harvey Weinstein.