She's a great Dame! Judi Dench exudes elegance as she poses up with Steve Coogan at Philomena screening at BFI London Film Festival

She has made hundreds of red carpet appearances during her long and illustrious career.
And it seems Dame Judi Dench has honed the art of dressing for such an occasion perfectly as she made yet another elegant appearance on Wednesday evening.
The 78-year-old looked in high spirits as she posed up alongside her co-star Steve Coogan during the American Express Gala screening of Philomena at the 57th BFI London Film Festival.

Stars of the show: Steve Coogan and Judi Dench pose up at the premiere of Philomena during the 57th BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday evening

Showing off her unique style the actress wore a long black kaftan style dress featuring stunning gold embroidery over a pair of loose fitting black trousers.

And it seems her look went down very well as she was serenaded by protesting firemen upon her arrival.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union were campaigning against pension cuts, waving banners and placards as they drank outside a pub in London's Leicester Square while Dame Judi walked the red carpet with Steve and director Stephen Frears.

Proud: Judi has walked the red carpet many times over the years but still looked delighted to do so

Interesting: The actress wore a kaftan style dres with gold embroidery over a pair of black trousers

The actress got the giggles trying to give an interview as the rowdy firefighters sang The Beatles' Hey Jude and chanted, ‘We love you Judi.’
They also shouted ‘Aha!’ at Coogan, the catchphrase of his hit comedy character Alan Partridge.
The film, co-written and produced by Coogan, tells the true story of Philomena Lee's search for the son she was forced to give up for adoption in the 1950s by the nuns who ran an Irish convent where she gave birth.

Close: Steve and Judi showed how well they had got along during filming as they posed on the red carpet

Judi Dench exudes elegance at BFI London Film Festival

Proud moment: Steve, Judi , Philomena Lee, actress Sophie Kennedy Clark and Martin Sixsmith posed up

Dame Judi said at the gala screening for the BFI London Film Festival: ‘Philomena is an exceptional woman and this story is about her fortitude, and her strength and her faith.
‘If we were all as strong in our convictions as Philomena then we wouldn't have much to worry about."
Coogan plays journalist Martin Sixsmith, who helped Lee in her attempt to track down her son and wrote a book about her story.
The actor, who has campaigned for press regulation, insisted he did not set out to portray journalists as the villains of the piece.

Colourful: Both Steve and the director Stephen Frears (R) opted for eye-catching ties

In awe: Judi stood with Philomena Lee who the film is based on

Out in force: Steve and Judi were met by numerous photographers as well as excitable fans

Coogan said: ‘I only have strong views about bad press, I like good press. I like good journalists.
‘So it's not that I thought 'I'm playing a journalist, what an awful thing to do.' That's a really simplistic, reductive thing that certain sections of the press do.
‘The story happened to involve a journalist, so I just played a journalist as a human being. My involvement in Hacked Off and Leveson and trying to improve press standards and make the press accountable, which is something I'm very proud of, doesn't have anything to do with this.
‘There's no real judgment on Martin as a journalist. He's slightly cynical in the film and what triumphs over cynicism is optimism."
Philomena is out in cinemas on November 27

Dapper: Director Joseph Gordon Levitt attended the Don Jon screening on Wednesday as well