Penelope Cruz looks elegant in a yellow floral dress at the London Film Festival premiere of Bunker after rave reviews and 15 minute standing ovation

Penelope Cruz put on a glamorous display as she hit the red carpet for the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival of Bunker on Saturday night. 

The actress, 52, who has been doing the promotional trail for the Florian Zeller-directed psychological thriller, wore a yellow dress with floral design. 

The 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival started on Wednesday and will run through to Sunday, October 18.

Organised by the BFI, the UK's biggest cinematic celebration features 251 film titles from 88 countries alongside red carpet world premieres, immersive media installations and exclusive screen talks. 

Penelope and her husband Javier Bardem play married couple Sofia and Miguel in Bunker.

It marks the ninth time the couple have collaborated on screen and the movie is already receiving rave reviews.

The actress broke down in tears when the film received the longest standing ovation so far of the 2026 Venice Film Festival. 

After watching the film, the audience rose to their feet for a 15-and-a-half-minute standing ovation.

Penelope was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response, sobbing uncontrollably as Javier comforted her.

Director Florian made sure his lead couple had their moment in the spotlight, grabbing them by the hands to pull them in front of the audience. 

Javier then sweetly stepped aside and gestured to his wife, who looked stunning in a custom red Chanel gown by Matthieu Blazy, as the crowd continued to applaud.

The lengthy response to Bunker is just two minutes shy of the longest standing ovation in recent Venice Film Festival history – a 17-minute applause for The Room Next Door in 2024. 

The psychological thriller sees the pair play married couple Sofia and Miguel. 

Architect Miguel's 17-year marriage comes under strain after he accepts a morally ambiguous project to build a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire (Paul Dano). 

Meanwhile Sofia begins working with an American novelist, Jeremy Gray (Patrick Schwarzenegger).  

Penelope and Javier have been married for 16 years, and are parents to son Leo, 15, and daughter Luna, 13. 

They first met in 1992 on the set of the Spanish film Jamon jamon when Penelope was 17 and Javier was 23. 

Although they played romantic interests in the movie, they did not start dating until 15 years later when they were reunited on the set of 2008 movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona, for which Penelope won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Back in May, Javier shared that since the birth of their first child, he and Penelope have ensured that at least one of them is at home continuously when taking acting roles.

Praising his spouse, the star added he feels 'blessed' to have 'had the chance to be at the same time, in the same place, in life' as her.

He said: 'I don't have musts in my contract that have to do with bigger trailers or luxurious suites.

'The only thing I do pay attention to is, no more than two weeks away from my family.'

Javier went on to tell Variety: 'Penelope is an amazing, beautiful, good human being — the way she relates to her family, to her friends, to our kids, to me, to herself. It's been a lot of years, and I haven't seen a hint of malice in her.'

'On top of that, she's amazingly f****** beautiful! When I see her being photographed on some magazines, I go, "Is that my wife? Jesus, is it? It must be".'