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Penelope Cruz shines at ‘most beautiful’ premiere
By Louise Jury, Evening Standard Last updated at 09:41am on 31.07.09
Penelope Cruz brought star quality to the first night of open-air movies at Somerset House.
The Spanish star was with director Pedro Almodóvar to present their latest collaboration, Broken Embraces, and hailed the venue as “the most beautiful place I've been for a premiere”.
Outdoor cinema: the premiere of Pedro Almodóvar's Broken Embraces began the open-air season of films at Somerset House last night
Dressed in a scarlet jump-suit, the 35-year-old actress also described her director as “brave and talented”.
Gallery: Broken Embraces premiere
Almodóvar, 59, said he liked the idea of an outdoor premiere. Surveying a sell-out audience, including actors John Hurt and Maggie Gyllenhaal, of people sitting and sprawled on the Somerset House courtyard, he said: “This is the first time I have celebrated the opening of my movie with an audience lying around on the floor.
Impressed: The director and Penélope Cruz, inset, said the setting was “beautiful”
“I think I like the idea. This is the best position to see my movies.”
He added: “The first images and the first memories that I have of cinema is in the open-air. It was not in a big place like this and was not so beautiful.”
In fact, there was an appalling stink from the lavatories at those early film experiences, said the acclaimed director of All About My Mother and Volver. “But I was very happy when they selected my movie to be part of these screenings.”
The Film4 Summer Screen runs until 8 August including a special showing of Slumdog Millionaire. Sunday night's screening will reunite stars Dev Patel, 19, and Freida Pinto, 24, as well as crew members to introduce it.
