International critics of the Fipresci yesterday awarded their Grand Prix for the Best Film of 2006 to Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver [trailer, film focus].

The Spanish director, who also won the award in 1999 for All About My Mother, is the first director to win twice in the short history of the Fipresci awards. The honour will be received by his brother and producer Agustin Almodóvar at the opening ceremony of the upcoming San Sebastian Festival on September 21. The director is unable to attend the event, as he is currently on a promotional tour in the US, where his film opens on November 3.
Released March 17 in Spain, Volver (see Focus and interview with director) received Best Actress for its ensemble cast (Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo and Chus Lampreave) at Cannes this year.

The film has garnered 2.1m admissions in France in its 15 weeks in 140 theatres to date (Pathé Distribution). In Germany, it has already grossed €3.1m in four weeks (dist. Tobis Film). Volver has also been on Estonian screens since August 11, in the Netherlands since August 24, in Ireland and the UK since August 25 and in Denmark and Finland since Friday last. It opens in Hungary and Portugal on Thursday and in Lithuania, Poland and Sweden on September 29.