Almodovar's latest film is a risqué tale that puts a platinum blonde
Penelope Cruz in challenging role -both say to be excited about working
together again.
MADRID, SPAIN (MAY 09, 2008) REUTERS -
Oscar-winning filmmaker Pedro Almodovar talked about his new film
"Broken Embraces" starring Penelope Cruz in Madrid on Friday (May
09) and said it is a drama with film noir overtones that starts shooting May
26 in Madrid and the Canary Islands.
The director arrived in Madrid's Casa de America (America's House)
along with Cruz and Blanca Portillo -both actresses also started in his recent
Oscar nominated film 'Volver'.
Almodovar did not disclose details about the film but said that it is
his longest script yet and a dramatic "crazy love" story with some
really funny scenes.
Almodovar, one of Spain's best-known directors, has two Oscars to his
name -- best foreign language film for "All About My Mother" in 2000
and best original screenplay for "Talk to Her" in 2002.
"Broken Embraces" will be his 17th movie but the Spaniard,
51, confessed that despite the experience, as the shooting nears he begins to
lose sleep. He also added that he is a filmmaking addict and could not stay
away from shooting for more than a year.
"Filming is a huge adventure at all levels, physically,
emotionally -everything but sexual- at least in my case. That adventure
entails many risks but also fascinating surprising moments and these are
unpredictable. Filming one can never feel too confident because shootings are
alive," Almodovar said at a news conference.
Cruz, wearing a knee-length, figure-hugging two-piece black dress,
compared the working styles on both sides of the Altanlic ocean and said that
being given time to plunge into shooting makes a difference to her.
"I shot two, three films annually for many years -not that I
regret that working pace, it's something I'm happy I did but now I want
something else. As an actress I feel much more capable of giving it all to one
movie per year because that way I can grow much more as a person and as an
actress too. Unless an offer is too good to reject I think I'd stick to one
per year because I don't feel like committing to projects I'd love giving a
100% to when there is no real time to do so, when it's impossible," she
said.
The actress, 33, praised Almodovar's work and said that working with
him is her top-priority.
"He is brilliant every minute of the day and it's very inspiring
to be next to him. He dedicates his life to the movie. It's like time stops
for him and that's contagious -and then we live that way when we are working
with him," she said.
Almodovar said that Penelope's is a challenging role where he delves
into one of her little-known facets. Cruz received an Oscar nomination for her
lead role in his most recent film, "Volver."
