Monica Bellucci, 59, stuns in a chic black gown as she joins partner Tim Burton, 65, at the premiere of her new movie during the Rome Film Festival

Monica Bellucci was supported by partner Tim Burton on the red carpet for the premiere of her film Maria Callas: Lettere E Memorie at the Rome Film Festival on Friday.

The Italian actress, 59, plays opera star Maria Callas in the film, opposite Angelina Jolie who also took on the role in her rival film.

Monica stunned in a black dress that featured pleated detailing and hugged every inch of her gorgeous curves.

She accessorised the look with an elegant selection of diamond jewelery and dressed down her essentials with a black clutch.

Meanwhile, film director Tim, 65, was dressed in a black suit and struggled to keep his hands off Monica on her big night.

They have been secretly dating for months, but Monica finally confirmed their relationship in an interview with Elle France in June.

The Italian actress declared her love for the filmmaker months after they were first linked.

“What I can say… I’m glad to meet the man, first of all,” she said. “It’s one of those encounters that rarely happen in life… I know the man, I love him, and now I’m going to meet the director, another adventure begins.”

The model recently filmed Beetlejuice 2 with Burton in London, and was blown away by the director’s vision.

“I love Tim,” she continued. “And I have a lot of respect for Tim Burton.”

Speaking about his work, she said: “I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something light, forgiving. Tim Burton’s movies talk a lot about that.’

Monica and Tim first met 16 years ago, but are said to have started dating after seeing each other at the Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon in October.

The news of their romance appeared in February, when Paris Match he wrote that the pair “briefly met on the steps of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes in 2006, but it wasn’t until sixteen years later, behind the scenes of another festival, that they became close.”

Monica, who was the festival’s guest of honor, presented Tim with the Lumiere Lifetime Achievement Award on stage around the time they became official.

As he was presented with the award, Tim said: “All my life together, I have never felt so much love as I did tonight.” Welcome to the best funeral I’ve ever had!’

The two were also seen going to see a reproduction of the silent documentary, directed in 1895 by the late French filmmaker Louis Lumière.

In February, they were seen sharing a passionate kiss while taking a romantic stroll on Valentine’s Day.

Monica has been single since splitting from artist Nicolas Lefebvre in 2019. She was previously married to Vincent Cassel from 1997-2013.

The former model met Cassel in 1996 on the set of Gilles Mimouni’s l’Appartement. They have two daughters, Deva, who was born in 2004, and Leonie, who entered the world in 2010.

They were together for three years before tying the knot in a low-key ceremony in Monaco, on the French Riviera.

Monica talked about love in an interview with Paris Match back in 2011 when she was still married to Cassel, admitting that for her “there is no rationality” when it comes to relationships.

She said: “I am carried by the moment and instinct. There is no rationality, only emotions. You like it or you don’t.’

“You don’t decide sitting at the table: OK, so I have two children, 16 years of life as a couple, it would be nice if it lasted, but how am I going to make it work?”

“I don’t think a couple is something you ‘practice’ at all, as we say.”

Tim was famously in a relationship with The Crown actress Helena Bonham Carter, 57, but they sadly split in 2014.

The couple were never married but were together for 13 years and have two children; son Billy and daughter Nell.