Cruz and Banderas united by humor in ‘Official Competition’

MEXICO CITY (AP) — What is art? Do awards make you a better artist? Are blockbuster movies only for pseudo-actors? These are some questions unleashed in “Official Competition,” a comedy by Argentine directors Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat starring Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martínez in a battle of egos and vanity. Cruz plays Lola Cuevas, a relentless woman with no filter, passionate about film down to the smallest detail, but with a rather unconventional approach. Banderas plays a star of international stature with many awards and blockbuster films, but who tends to be late for rehearsals. Banderas and Cruz talk to The Associated Press about this film, which opens Friday in the US.