E-mail a friendFebruary 9, 2007
Volver star Penelope Cruz discusses her pride in being the first Spanish woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Filmmaker James Longley describes making his Oscar-nominated documentary, Iraq in Fragments.
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz
Volver star Penélope Cruz discusses her relationship with director, Pedro Almodovar, fitting into American cinema, and her pride in being the first Spanish woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar (13:14).
Penélope Cruz has been a celebrity in her native Spain since she hosted a TV series as a teenager. The actress is now in demand on both sides of the Atlantic. After working with some of Spain's most important directors, she began to earn her due in the U.S., with credits that include Blow, All the Pretty Horses, Vanilla Sky and Volver, for which she's earned Golden Globe and Oscar nods. Cruz speaks four languages and has donated money and time to charity, including volunteering in Uganda for two months.
James Longley
James Longley
Filmmaker James Longley is used to winning awards. A Student Academy Award winner for his short documentary, Portrait of Boy with Dog, his most recent effort, Iraq in Fragments, won an unprecedented three jury awards at the ‘06 Sundance Film Festival and, recently, an Oscar nod. Longley has worked as an English teacher in Siberia and a newspaper copy editor in Moscow. He's also the founder of Daylight Factory, a production company committed to creating documentaries about international subjects.