Angelina Jolie was front and center at The Venice Film Festival during the official premiere of Maria. Netflix acquired distribution rights for the film on Wednesday (Aug. 28).
The Sala Grande venue was filled with exciting fans and they responded to the anticipated premiere with an enthusiastic eight-minute ovation. In the movie, the actress plays the role of esteemed opera singer Maria Callas.
“I had no idea how much I was holding in and not letting out,” Jolie shared during a press conference.
“The challenge was not technical; it was an emotional journey to discover my voice, to connect with my body, and to express myself. You must give every part of yourself. When asked which aspect of Callas she related to most, Jolie mentioned, perhaps surprisingly, that it was the side of her that is incredibly soft and struggles to find space in the world to be as emotionally open as she truly is. “I resonate with her vulnerability more than anything.”
Steven Knight penned the film’s script. The cast also includes Pierfrancesco Fabiano, Haluk Bilginet, Valeria Golino, Alba Rohrwacher, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The production team features Juan De Dios Larraín and Lorenzo Amelia.
