Penelope Cruz to receive honorary Cesar award

Paris: Actress Penelope Cruz will receive an honorary prize from Frances Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema during the 43rd Cesar Awards ceremony, Frances equivalent of the Oscars, on March 2 here.

"Penelope Cruz has the talent to shine in international productions as much as in (smaller) films, whether (she is working) for Ridley Scott, Rob Marshall, Kenneth Branagh, Sergio Castellitto, Fernando Trueba or Asghar Farhadi, with whom she has just wrapped 'Everybody Knows', which will come out in May," Alain Terzian, the president of the Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema, said in a statement to variety.com.

Cruz eventually won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance in Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" in 2008. She also won a BAFTA award for her role in the film.

The Spanish actress follows a string of American stars who have been honoured at France's Cesar Awards. Past recipients include George Clooney, Michael Douglas, Meryl Streep and Sean Penn.