Pedro Almodovar and Penélope Cruz Volver Press Conference October 5, 2006 Essex Hotel , New York City Volver Opens Nationwide on November 3, 2006 Written by Wendy R. Williams Opposite Photo Credit Wendy R. Williams

Pedro Almodovar has continued his love affair with both surrealism and his muse, Penelope Cruz, in his new film Volver. Here is a quote from Brian Shirey’s review of the film for www.newyorkcool.com

“ There aren’t many filmmakers these days who could be categorized by that old-time Hollywood standby, the “woman’s director.” Actually, there are none -- except for Pedro Almodovar. In Volver , the Spanish auteur doesn’t disappoint, unfolding a tale of three generations of women living in La Mancha, Spain that is alternately hilarious, warm, wry, disturbing, and, in a manner virtually patented by Almodovar himself, gently surreal.

Death is the organizing principle behind Volver’s very engaging script. The film opens on a shot of women polishing gravestones of loved ones, which leads to the introduction of Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and Sole (Lola Dueñas), sisters who lost both their parents in a fire some years earlier. Rounding out the all-female cast are Paula, Raimunda’s teenage daughter, and Agustina, a neighbor who serves to draw out some of the story’s many secrets.”

The Interview with Pedro Almodovar

Question about the surrealism in the film:

Pedro Almodovar: The film begins surrealistic but then turns into something else. The ghost is not a ghost so the film becomes much more naturalistic.

Question about how his work has evolved:.

Pedro Almodovar: Of course I have changed. As long as I continue to not repeat myself, I can make more films. My earlier films were more external. I was very young and related to what my country was going through at the time [the search for freedom]. I have become more internal over time.

Question about whether he knew beforehand that Penelope could deliver that kind of performance:

Pedro Almodovar: I have known for years. I am the only director who could have used Penelope this way. In theory, she is too young. I was surprised in a very positive way at how far she could go. She is insatiable for the work. I became a director to be the first witness to creation. Penelope had to go from weakness to rage [in the film].

Question about how he would describe his film:

Pedro Almodovar: I have difficulty with synopsis. [By writing a synopsis] you are betraying the movie by trying to describe it. I try to make the movie very transparent so that when you see it you know exactly what is going on. It is difficult to do a definition of my movies because I mix genre.

Question about what it was like to work with Carmen Maura again (Maura was his muse in the past):

Pedro Almodovar: Behind the scenes [of our last films] we were fighting but afterwards I got over it and I wanted to work with her again. After eighteen years [of not working together] the chemistry between us was so wonderful. I am very happy with this cast; I was really lucky. I needed a family of actresses and I got a family of actresses.

Question about the character of the neighbor Agustin (played by Blanca Portillo):

The solitary neighbor is really an extension of the family. She helps solve their problem. This solidarity of the family [enables them to] solve problems that institutions cannot. This is my homage to the neighbors who took care of my mother. This is the kind of culture you don’t see in the city. Madrid has become an immigrant center but in the outskirts they still keep the neighborliness of the country.

I grew up listening to stories of ghostly appearances. One of the points of the movie was to show the naturalness in the way [these] people deal with death and the supernatural – it is just part of living. [The way they] take care of their own [future] burial plot gives them a lot of peace.

Question about whether he (Almodovar) has ever seen an apparition:

Pedro Almodovar: In fact I don’t believe that people can return in a physical way. It is not necessarily corporal but has to deal with the senses. My sister and my mother have told me that they have seen apparitions and I believe them. I don’t think people die as longer as there are people who remember them.

Question about Penelope’s beauty:

Pedro Almodovar: Many directors think that if you are beautiful you can’t be talented. The roles in which Penelope has been the best have had the least to do with her physical image.

I think she (Penelope) has had bad luck in her love relationships. So many years with Tom Cruise! The relationship with Tom Cruise made the press look at her with bad eyes. Tom is so controversial and becoming more controversial. It was bad for Penelope; being with him meant she lost work opportunities. Nicole Kidman got all the great roles and Penelope was seen as the other woman.

The way to solve this problem is for me to direct a film with Nicole Kidman.

Question about why Pedro had his camera aimed so much at Penelope’s breasts:

Pedro Almodovar: As much as the film is about mortality it is also about maternity. [I was inspired by the images of] Sophia Loren and Anna Maganini. You can be a housewife and be very attractive. Europeans believe that you can be gorgeous and a poor housewife.

You all know I am gay but we are not here to talk about that. But I shot her with passion. No one in Europe asked me about the cleavage. And she has one of the most beautiful cleavages in Europe. I used the high angle shot of her breasts because I like her breasts.

Question about how he (Almodovar) would definite his style:

Pedro Almodovar: Of course it is socially conscience but it is very difficult for me to define. I plan out everything in the movie, I am very visual – all the colors of the houses, the hair, the make up.

The Interview with Penelope Cruz

Question about what it was like to play an older women:

Penelope Cruz: I am thirty-two – I think that is still young. My character gave birth when she was fourteen.

Question about why she has not had a really important role in a movie made in the United States:

Penelope Cruz: I have done thirty movies in Europe and five in the United states so it is natural that I would not have had a really important role here yet. Maybe people will see this movie and see how I can do other things. This character was a challenge for me every minute of every day.

I am very grateful for every role [I have had] because they got me here today.

Question about how she found the character with all her vulnerability and strength.

Penelope Cruz: Pedro knows I cry a lot – sometimes just watching a TV commercial. Pedro knew I would understand Raimunda’s roller coaster emotions, her emotional ups and downs.

We had three months of rehearsal and then we had to let go of the process and then live one action at a time. But that is also how Raimunda lives her life.

Question about what was it like seeing Pedro work with Carmen Maura again after all that time:

Penelope Cruz: They made seven movies together and then they did not work together for twenty years. I was distracted in rehearsal, becoming part of their audience.

Question about what she (Cruz) thought about the way Almodovar focused his camera on her cleavage

Penelope Cruz: I had too many things to worry about in each scene [to think about that].

This was the most difficult character I have ever done. She is not a victim. [I kept thinking about] what she must have been like at fourteen, living in that house and with that mother. [But] she did not extinguish her sexuality. Everyday she has her fifteen minutes [make up] to put herself together.

Pedro never treats his audience like they are stupid. I had to learn how to cook, mop and sing to do this role.

Question about what she thinks about what Pedro said about her and Tom Cruise:

Penelope Cruz: I don’t want to answer that because I was not in the room to hear what he said. You know how he goes on. But I am always a good friend of the people I have been with and loyal to the people who have been good to me and Tom Cruise is one of them.

Question about the possibility of an Oscar nomination:

Penelope Cruz: It is better not to think about it. But I don’t want to pretend to be cool and say that I don’t care.