Woody Allen to begin work on new movie

MADRID, Spain - Woody Allen says he hopes to create a portrait of the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona on a par with his 1979 film, "Manhattan."

Allen told a news conference in the Catalan capital Monday that he would begin filming July 9. The movie, starring Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, is not yet titled.

The 71-year-old director-actor said he wanted to picture Barcelona "the same way I presented Manhattan to the world through my eyes."

Allen said he looked forward to working in Barcelona "with great, great enthusiasm."

He won best-director and screenwriting Oscars for the 1977 romantic comedy, "Annie Hall," which starred Allen and Diane Keaton.

Johansson, 22, starred in Allen's recent London-based movies, "Matchpoint" and "Scoop."