Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas reunite on Cannes 2019 red carpet

Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, long-time collaborators of director Pedro Almodovar, turned up the glamour on the red carpet at Cannes on Friday for the Spaniard's latest outing, a contender for the top prize at the film festival. 

Wearing a vintage-style white lace and navy dress, with a circle skirt, Cruz headed up the Croisette's famed steps for the international premiere of 'Pain And Glory', alongside Banderas and the filmmaker, who was decked out in an all-black ensemble and sunglasses.

The autobiographical tale stars Banderas as Almodovar 's tormented alter ego - a film director looking back at his childhood and past romances, and reflecting on his life's work - while Cruz plays his mother at the time of his youth.

"There's a lot of me in the movie. But as soon as you start writing, fiction takes over," Almodovar, who headed up the jury at Cannes' cinema showcase in 2017, told Canal+ TV on his way into the screening.

The film, well-received by critics, has already premiered in Spain.

Almodovar's movies helped propel the acting duo to global stardom.

The director, meanwhile, has won two Oscars - with 'All About My Mother' awarded the best foreign language film in 2000, and for the best original screenplay with 'Talk to Her' in 2003 - but never the top Palme D'Or at Cannes. 

The Cannes Film Festival runs until May 25.