AceShowbiz -

Ben Affleck made his first public appearance after filing for divorce from Jennifer Garner earlier this month. The 44-year-old actor attended the 1st Annual AutFest International Film Festival in Orange, California on Sunday, April 23 as he accepted an award for his portrayal of an action hero with autism in "The Accountant".

Affleck looked dapper in a navy suit which he paired with a crisp white shirt. He finished up his look with a patterned tie and a pair of brogue shoes. He looked sweaty as he took part in a Q&A session of the event, during which he hoped his work on the film would make him a more compassionate man.

"Hopefully it's made me more compassionate, empathetic, thoughtful about what really might be under the surface of the next person that I meet, here at the theater, the mall, wherever it may be," he said. "People are capable of so much more [than] what we initially give them credit for. And, in some cases, really astonishing, inspiring things."

The "Justice League" star also noted that he's unsure whether he wanted his three children to follow in his footsteps into acting. "I think it's a hard thing," he shared, adding, "I love being an actor. I got into it as a child and I wouldn't change that, but I also wouldn't want to take my kids and push them out there before they were 18."

Affleck's appearance at the festival comes on the heels of a report suggesting that he and Garner celebrated Easter together with their kids despite jointly filing for divorce. "They are spending the Easter weekend together in L.A.," a source told PEOPLE. "They are having an Easter celebration as a family at their house Sunday." The family reportedly also attended Easter services together as a group.