Penelope Cruz in Bosnia to shoot new movie

Penelope Cruz AFP FILE PHOTO

SARAJEVO—Oscar-winning Spanish actress Penelope Cruz arrived on Wednesday in Bosnia to shoot her new movie, a drama about the 1990s war in the Balkan country, local media reported.

Cruz plays the main role in “Venuto al Mondo” (Into the World), a film directed by Italian Sergio Castellitto, the Dnevni Avaz daily reported on its online edition.

The shooting was to start on Monday, the daily said, adding that locations were being kept secret.

The movie is based on the bestseller by Margaret Mazzantini, Castellitto’s wife. It tells the story of a single mother, portrayed by Cruz, who returns with her teenage son to present day Sarajevo, where the boy’s father died during the 1992-1995 war.

Cruz, 37, has already worked with Castellitto in the 2004 drama “Non ti Muovere” (Don’t Move), also based on a novel by Mazzantini.

Last year Angelina Jolie, another Oscar-winning actress sparked controversy when she wanted to film scenes from her directorial debut “The Land of Blood and Honey” also about the bloody Bosnian war.

Local media reported the film would show a Muslim rape victim falling in love with her Serb attacker, which prompted outrage from rape victims organizations. Jolie denied the script included such a love story and asked for victims organizations to reserve judgement until they have seen the film.