Antonio Banderas to be given Honorary Goya Award in Spain

Los Angeles: The Spanish Film Academy announced that it will honour Antonio Banderas with an honorary Goya Award for it what it called a "stellar career on both sides of the Atlantic."

The presentation will take place next February at Spain's premiere film gala in Madrid, according to Hollywood Reporter.
The academy's board of directors unanimously voted to award the Spanish star the honour for having "developed a versatile trajectory as an actor, have shown his own point of view as a director and having immersed himself in the role of producer to support national values."

Calling him a hometown-Malaga boy "without borders," the academy said it applauded his career punctuated by "risks and commitment."

Banderas, who reached stardom in some of the most emblematic roles in Pedro Almodovar's earlier works like 'Tie Me Up, Tie me Down', 'Labyrinth of Passion', 'Matador', 'Law of Desire' and 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown'.

The 54-year-old Spanish actor has also forged a successful career in Hollywood with films like 'Zorro', 'Shrek', 'Philadelphia', 'Desperados' and 'Interview with a Vampire'.

Banderas, who has directed 'Crazy in Alabama' and 'Summer Rain', recently returned to Spain with his latest Spanish project, the apocalyptic science fiction 'Automata', which he presented at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.

Banderas is presently filming Hugh Hudson's 'The Master of Altamira' alongside Rupert Everett and Golshifteh Farahani for production house Morena Films with Atresmedia.