Penelope Cruz was honoured with the Donostia Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival during a special gala ceremony on Friday night.
In a surprise presentation, the actress’ friend and U2 frontman Bono presented her with the lifetime achievement award, and paid tribute to her in a touching speech.
Bono said: “Not every actor has a fascinating story off-screen as on. Penelope, her life is fascinating to me off screen, because it’s all about the drama of the family, and the extended family – of which I am blessed to be a part. ”
“Performers, like us, like me, we get lost in ourself. Penelope, she gets lost in everyone else, and that’s why we get lost in her.”
After accepting the award, Penelope spoke out against domestic violence against women.
Speaking in Spanish, she said:Â “So far this year 44 women have been murdered by gender-based violence in our country and since 2003 more than a thousand. How many women are being murdered around the world?”
“I hope that when a woman finds the superhuman strength she needs to tell what she is going through in such a situation, she will be heard at first and not when it is too late.”
The actress also dedicated the award to her parents, her children, her actor husband Javier Bardem, and three directors she has worked with – Pedro Almodóvar, Bigas Luna and Fernando Trueba.
