Penélope Cruz's new film has a lactating nipple poster—and it's causing quite the stir

Penélope Cruz's upcoming movie has been marketed with a lactating nipple poster—and fans are absolutely loving it. 

The Oscar-winning actor is set to grace our screens once again in Parallel Mothers, which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival on 1 September. 

The Spanish drama, which was written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, tells the story of two expectant mothers, Janis (Penélope) and Ana (Milena Smit), as they prepare to give birth at a maternity hospital. 

Despite their shared circumstances, the characters have very different attitudes towards their pregnancies. Janis, who is middle-aged, is delighted about the prospect of having a baby, while teenager Ana is terrified and plagued by regret. The film explores how Janis helps the younger mom-to-be navigate the daunting experience, by encouraging her with a few simple words in the final hours before delivery. 

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While there's nothing particularly unique about its subject matter, the promo poster of Parallel Mothers, or Madres Paralelas, has received quite the reaction. The red and white image features a single lactating nipple, which is a normal bodily function often associated with breastfeeding. Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the eye-catching photo online, with many celebrating its creative and original design. 

"One of the most interesting film posters in years," one person wrote. 

"What a poster," another fan commented. 

Parallel Mothers, which will run for 11 days during the international film festival, has been described by the event's co-ordinator Alberto Barbera as an "intense and sensitive portrait of two women as they contend with a pregnancy with unpredictable consequences, women’s solidarity, and sexuality that is experienced in full freedom and without hypocrisy, all against the backdrop of a reflection on the ineluctable need for truth that is to be unwaveringly pursued." 

In response to the news that Parallel Mothers will open the festival, director Almodóvar said, "I cannot explain the joy and the honor, and how much this means to me without falling into complacency. I am very grateful to the festival for this recognition and hope to be up to it."