Famed Spanish cineasta Pedro Almodóvar, one of Spain’s most recognizable personalities, has been awarded the prestigious “Premio Principe de Asturias” prize for excellence in the arts.

Almodovar was chosen “both for his expertise and the honesty of his work, and for the joy and vitality of his scripts, and above all for implanting his roots, which are ours, too, into the society of a planet on the verge of a nervous breakdown and which straddles two centuries,” said the jury that awards the arts prize.

“His work, rooted in a Spanish society which was opening up to deep changes, has gained a universal dimension through original language which is richly expressive and capable of synthesizing human complexity,” the jury added.

Almodovar described himself as “overwhelmed” and “undeserving” of the prize when he received the news at the Cannes Film Festival in France, where his latest film, “Volver” is competing for the festival’s top prize, the Palm D’or.

Previous Principe de Asturias prize winners include Woody Allen, JK Rowling, Nelson Mandela, and Arthur Miller. Almodóvar’s co-winners this year include Bill and Melinda Gates and the National Geographic Society.

Related:

Premio Principe de Asturias website

Almodóvar official website

Via / Washington Post and 20 Minutos