Penelope Cruz became visibly emotional during a 15-minute standing ovation for her new film "Bunker" at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on Tuesday. The actress, 52, was seen in tears as the audience applauded the project, a joint effort with her husband, Javier Bardem, 57.
The couple, who arrived at the festival via water taxi from the Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort, were promoting "Bunker," a psychological thriller. Cruz's custom red Chanel gown by Matthieu Blazy garnered attention as she accepted the prolonged applause alongside Bardem. Director Florian Zeller pulled the couple forward, allowing them to share the spotlight.
The ovation for "Bunker" lasted 15 and a half minutes, making it the longest of the festival so far. It comes close to the 2024 festival's record of a 17-minute ovation for "The Room Next Door." Other films at this year's festival have also received significant applause, including "Wild Horse Nine," which earned a 13-minute ovation, and "Primetime" and Werner Herzog's drama starring Kate and Rooney Mara, which both received seven-minute ovations.
"Bunker" marks the ninth collaboration between Cruz and Bardem. The film's plot centers on a married couple, Sofia and Miguel, whose 17-year marriage is tested when Miguel accepts a morally ambiguous project to build a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire, played by Paul Dano. Sofia, meanwhile, begins working with an American novelist, portrayed by Patrick Schwarzenegger. The film has already garnered positive reviews, including a four-star rating from the Daily Mail's Brian Viner.
Cruz and Bardem, married for 16 years, have two children, Leo, 15, and Luna, 13. The couple first met in 1992 on the set of the Spanish film "Jamon Jamon." They began dating 15 years later after reuniting on the set of the 2008 film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," for which Cruz won an Oscar.
Bardem previously shared that he and Cruz prioritize family, ensuring one of them is always home when taking on acting roles. He has spoken highly of Cruz, describing her as a "beautiful, good human being" and expressing gratitude for their shared life. They have maintained a rule of not being apart from their family for more than two weeks when working on separate projects.