The Spanish Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences on Thursday announced that the latest film by the famous Spanish director Pedro Almodovar will be Spain's representative for the Best International Film category at next year's Academy Awards (Oscars).

The film "Pain and Glory" (Dolor and Gloria in Spanish) stars long time Almodovar collaborators, Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz and is the seventh Almodovar film chosen as a Spanish candidate at the Oscars.

It was able to beat competition from the historical drama "While at war" (Mientras Dure la Guerra) which was directed by Alejandro Amenabar and the animated film "Bunuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles" (Bunuel en el laberinto de las tortugas) by Salvador Simo.

Pain and Glory is the 21st full length film directed by 69-year-old Almodovar and he has previously tasted Oscars success with "All about my Mother" (Todo sobre mi Madre) which was named Best International Film in 1999, while "Talk to Her" (Hable con Ella) won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

Almodovar's film received good reviews in Spain and has been watched by over 900,000 people in his homeland.

(Cover Image: Director Pedro Almodovar and producer Agustin Almodovar pose on the red carpet as they arrive for the screening of the film "Relatos salvajes" (Wild Tales) in competition at the 67th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 17, 2014. /VCG Photo)