Penelope Cruz's new movie "Ma Ma," will be her first as a producer, according to Variety magazine. In "Ma Ma," she plays Magda, a mother who battles to overcome tragedy. "Ma Ma" is also Cruz's first film with Spanish auteur Julio Medem, who has directed several films portraying feminine sensibility in modern Spanish cinema including "Vacas," "Lovers of the Arctic Circle," and "Sex and Lucia". Cruz and Medem talked to Variety about "Ma Ma."

Cruz spoke with Variety about wanting to direct films in the future. She said, "I want to build what could be my future in cinema, not always being in front of the camera. I'd also like to direct a feature, maybe 10 years from now. For now, I'm directing commercial and video-clips; I love that. And it's the best way to learn. I want to go slowly, step by step. I'm following the whole production process very closely, from the film's inception."

Director Medem suggested in the interview that Cruz's "Ma Ma" character Magda has certain things in common with the "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" star.

Cruz replied, "Maybe, she battles for things because all sorts of things happen to her. She's optimistic. But her pace and energy are different. Acting interests me a great deal more than playing someone very much like myself. The further away she is from me, the more possibilities that offers as an actress. That's acting: the beauty of risk, facing up to the unknown, placing yourself in the skin of someone you invite into your life for a time, someone who isn't you."

Penelope Cruz also spoke recently with Contactmusic about her love of scuba diving with sharks. The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star said that she loves watching the sea creatures when she goes scuba diving with her children Leo, 3 and Luna, 11 months, and husband, fellow actor, Javier Bardem.

Cruz said, "Scuba diving with sharks, I've done it in the Caribbean and in Brazil. I think they were lemon sharks or reef sharks. If I ever do it with a great white shark, it will be in a cage. I'm not crazy," the actress said. She also said that she is fond of beaches."I would love to visit Patagonia, and then I would go to the Amazon because I've never been there. I like anytime I'm on the beach, in the sun, lying on the sand."