Blanchett wins first Goya gong

"He's an incredible screenwriter," the Australian said of the director, "He's an auteur; his filmmaking is imbued into the scripts he writes."

Blanchett is starring in Almodovar's first English language feature film A Manual for Cleaning Women, an adaptation of Lucia Berlin's collection of short stories.

The actress told reporters that the upcoming project was unique due to the quality of Berlin's stories but also thanks to the nuances the Spanish director gives to addictive relationships and substance abuse.

The 52-year-old will add the first International Goya to her list of awards which already features two Oscars, three Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and three Screen Actors Guild Awards among others.

When asked how she felt when she about her latest accolade, Blanchett said: "I was blown away because Spanish cinema has been hugely influential on me."

"It has been swirling in my creative mind for a long time," the actress added.