Oscar-winning Spanish actress Penélope Cruz is in Bosnia to shoot her new film, a drama about the 1990s war in the Balkan country, local media reported.

Ms Cruz plays the main role in Venuto al Mondo (Into the World), a film directed by Italian Sergio Castellitto, the Dnevni Avaz daily reported on its online edition.

The shooting was to start today, the daily said adding that locations were being kept secret.

The movie is based on the bestseller by Margaret Mazzantini, Mr Castellitto’s wife. It tells the story of a single mother, portrayed by Ms Cruz, who returns with her teenage son to present day Sarajevo, where the boy’s father died during the 1992-1995 war.

Ms Cruz, 37, has already worked with Mr Castellitto in the 2004 drama Non ti muovere (Don’t Move), also based on a novel by Mr Mazzantini.

Last year Angelina Jolie, another Oscar-winning actress sparked controversy when she wanted to film scenes from her directorial debut The Land of Blood and Honey also about the bloody Bosnian war.

Local media reported the film would show a Muslim rape victim falling in love with her Serb attacker, which prompted outrage from rape victims organisations. Jolie denied the script included such a love story and asked for victims organisations to reserve judgement until they have seen the film.