Pedro Almodóvar and Penelope Cruz arrived in Arrecife last weekend and have already begun work on the Manchegan director's new film, 'Los abrazos rotos' (Broken embraces).

They were spotted yesterday near Famara beach yesterday rehearsing scenes and photographing locations ahead of the arrival of the rest of the cast that includes Lluis Homar, Blanca Portillo and Carmen Machii.

Other sites chosen to feature in the Oscar winning director's 16th film include La Geria, Timanfaya National Park, and El Charco de los Clicos, that Almodóvar photographed nine years ago and which, he claims, inspired the film.

Next Wednesday the Mirador del Río Tourist Centre, that was designed by César Manrique, will be closed to the public for filming while Tahíche roundabout, where the artist subsequently died in a traffic accident, has also been chosen.

It is estimated that it will take around a fortnight to finish work on the scenes that will be shot on the island.