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Penélope Cruz cut a striking double-peplum silhouette in Chanel at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala in New York on Monday. Come Friday, the French house’s ambassador was announced to receive one of her country’s top prizes.
The San Sebastian International Film Festival unveiled the first of its annual Donostia Awards with Cruz – one of Spain’s most internationally recognised actresses – set to pick up this honorary prize when the festival runs in September.
The accolade recognises outstanding contributions to world cinemas and last year’s recipients were Judi Dench, Hirokazu Koreeda and Danny DeVito. Julia Roberts received the award in 2010.
From her very first Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Cruz has been battling to broaden the roles open to Latin actresses for years. She has starred in almost 70 films – which have included roles in Spanish, English, Italian and French.
“We are delighted that Penélope Cruz, a marvellous actress we admire and whose footsteps we have also followed since the start of her career, has accepted to be the image of the San Sebastian Festival and to receive the Donostia Award,” said festival director Jose Luis Rebordinos in a statement.
Cruz added: “I receive the news of this Donostia Award full of emotion and gratitude to the San Sebastian Festival for granting me this immense honour. San Sebastian is not only an internationally renowned festival but also the most important in our country and a very special place to me because I have had the pleasure of visiting it since I was very young and have lived very touching moments there. Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart.”
Penélope Cruz is the fifth Spanish actor to receive the Donostia Award after Fernando Fernán Gómez (1999), Paco Rabal (2001), Antonio Banderas (2008) and Carmen Maura (2013).
The 45-year-old actress is currently starring in Pedro Almodovar’s Pain & Glory, which is playing in competition at the Cannes Film Festival this week. No doubt, Cruz will be attending all of the glamorous parties in Cannes. In Chanel, of course.
