Penelope Cruz sobs, kisses husband as Bunker gets 15.5-minute ovation at Venice

Actor Penelope Cruz kissed Javier Bardem as Bunker received a 15.5-minute standing ovation in Venice. The emotional response underlined the film's status as the festival's biggest crowd-pleaser so far.

In Short

• Penelope Cruz's Bunker became Venice 2026's strongest crowd favourite
• The film earned 15.5 minutes standing ovation at Venice Film Festival
• Cruz thanked audiences, shook hands, and greeted fans while leaving

Actor Penelope Cruz broke down in tears as she kissed her husband and co-star Javier Bardem during a 15.5-minute standing ovation for their film Bunker at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday night. Overcome with emotion, the actor was seen sobbing as the audience continued to applaud the film.

The extended reception made Bunker the biggest crowd-pleaser at Venice 2026 so far, coming close to one of the longest standing ovations in recent memory. Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door received a 17-minute ovation at the festival in 2024.

As the applause continued past the 10-minute mark, Cruz mouthed “Thank you!” to the audience and stopped to shake hands with an enthusiastic admirer behind her. Even as the cast eventually made their way out of the Palazzo del Cinema, Cruz paused to greet fans with a “Ciao!” and graciously accepted their praise.

Director Florian Zeller also encouraged the cast, including Patrick Schwarzenegger and Paul Dano, to step forward individually and soak in the applause.

In Bunker, Bardem and Cruz play a married couple whose relationship begins to unravel amid professional and personal turmoil. The story follows Miguel, an architect, who agrees to build a survivalist bunker for tech billionaire Andrew, played by Dano. The morally complicated project creates a rift between Miguel and Sofia after 17 years of marriage, prompting her to question whether they still share the same values.

Sofia subsequently begins working with Jeremy Gray, a handsome American novelist played by Schwarzenegger.

Earlier in the evening, Cruz walked the red carpet in a striking red dress, collecting flowers from fans and posing for selfies. With its star-studded cast and Zeller’s auteur reputation, Bunker is among the major international films on this year’s fall festival circuit.

- Ends