Vin Diesel Cries Remembering Paul Walker During Cannes Tribute Screening

Vin Diesel got emotional in Cannes ... choking back tears while honoring his late 'Fast & Furious' brother Paul Walker during a special midnight screening of "The Fast and the Furious."

The longtime face of the franchise took the stage Wednesday night after the movie received a hero's welcome at the festival ... with the crowd inside giving the cast a 4-minute standing ovation as the credits rolled.

Diesel struggled to hold it together while reflecting on his bond with Walker ... telling the audience, "I tried to save my brother. It was all in the script at first ... this blonde haired, blue-eyed guy would be a brother to me. As the years went by, he wanted us to continue the story.”

The actor also got deep about rewatching the original movie 25 years later ... saying scenes from the film now hit differently because he remembers the real-life moments behind them -- including when Walker first told him he had a baby daughter.

That daughter, Meadow Walker, was seated alongside Diesel during the emotional tribute ... and the two shared a hug after Vin revealed she’d pointed out she’s now the same age her father was when he made the movie.

Diesel also reflected on how the franchise evolved from a street-racing flick into a global juggernaut ... one that's hauled in more than $7 Billion worldwide and turned Dom Toretto’s “family" mantra into one of Hollywood’s most recognizable catchphrases.

Walker died in 2013 at age 40 in a high-speed car crash in California ... a tragedy that rocked the franchise and left Diesel publicly mourning the loss of the man he often called his brother.