Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem’s ‘Bunker’ receives 16-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival

Venice [Italy], September 9 (ANI): Spanish stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem’s upcoming film ‘Bunker’ received a 16-minute standing ovation following its screening at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday, with the applause marking the longest ovation for a premiere at this year’s festival so far, according to People. 

The new film, written, directed and produced by Florian Zeller, stars Cruz and Bardem alongside Stephen Graham, Paul Dano and Patrick Schwarzenegger.

Video from the event showed Cruz, 52, becoming emotional as the audience applauded the cast and team of ‘Bunker’. Bardem, 57, and Cruz were also seen speaking and laughing with each other while taking in the audience’s enthusiastic response.

Cruz and Bardem, who have been married since 2010 and have two children, have shared the screen several times. The actors first met while working on the 1992 film ‘Jamon, Jamon’ and later began dating after working together on the 2008 film ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’. They subsequently starred together in ‘Loving Pablo’ (2017) and ‘Everybody Knows’ (2018), as per the outlet.

In ‘Bunker’, Cruz and Bardem portray a married couple whose 17-year relationship comes under strain after Bardem’s character, an architect, accepts a project to build a survivalist bunker for a technology billionaire.

According to the Venice Film Festival synopsis, the film is a “dramatic thriller” that “examines the emotional and moral challenges faced by a couple as the anxieties of an increasingly uncertain world begin to reshape their marriage, exploring the fears, doubts and ethical dilemmas that define our time,” according to People. 

Zeller, 47, said in his director’s statement for the festival that he wrote ‘Bunker’ specifically for Cruz and Bardem.

“I wrote Bunker for Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, who were both the starting point and inspiration for this project, not only because they are among the most gifted actors working today, but also because they are an iconic couple,” he said.

Following its Venice premiere, ‘Bunker’ will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival before its theatrical release later this year.

The 83rd Venice Film Festival is being held from September 2 to 12. (ANI)

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