At the Venice Film Festival, there's a moment in the film Maria where the opera legend Maria Callas reminisces about her desire to revisit one special night from the 1949 festival. Fast forward to this year's event, and Angelina Jolie is poised to create a memorable experience of her own. After the August 29 premiere of Pablo Larraín's new film, Jolie is likely to have a similarly joyful recollection in the future.
Netflix recently secured the U.S. distribution rights for Maria, signaling a strong Oscar campaign in the works. The film, which delves into Callas’s final days as she reflects on her life and endeavors to regain her extraordinary voice, ended with the audience at Sala Grande giving a thunderous ovation. The applause didn’t wane even after the credits rolled, showing just how impactful the film was.
The cheers of "brava" moved Jolie and several of the filmmakers to tears, leading to heartfelt embraces. Steven Knight, the film’s screenwriter, was visibly emotional as he navigated through the crowd to hug Jolie. Co-stars Pierfrancesco Favino and Alba Rohrwacher stood by Jolie’s side, sharing in the applause. At one point, Larraín personally escorted Jolie down the theater stairs to express her gratitude to the attendees in the orchestra seats.
As the festival continues, there are more films to come, including potential Best Actress contenders like Nicole Kidman in Babygirl and Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux. However, Jolie has already emerged as a frontrunner for the Volpi Cup for Best Actress—a significant indicator of potential success at the Academy Awards. If Jolie wins this prestigious award, she would be the first of Larraín's leading actresses in his trilogy of historical portraits to do so. Previously, Jackie only garnered the Golden Osella for Best Original Screenplay at the 2016 festival, and Spencer left Venice without any awards in 2021.
Earlier that day, at the press conference for Maria, Jolie spoke about her return to the screen after a hiatus. She shared, "I've needed to be home more with my family in these last years, and in that time, I've become more grateful to just be an artist and play." Addressing the cast and crew, she expressed her appreciation for being part of the creative world, saying, "I am grateful to be an artist in any way."
The festival has been buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Jolie’s emotional and powerful performance in Maria has captivated audiences and critics alike. Her potential win could mark a milestone not just for her career but also for Larraín's impressive body of work. As the festival progresses, all eyes will be on Jolie and her fellow contenders, with the race for awards heating up and the stakes growing higher.
The energy at the festival is electric, with each film sparking its own wave of excitement. Jolie’s performance and the film’s reception underscore the intense competition and high caliber of the 2024 festival. With such compelling narratives and standout performances, this year’s Venice Film Festival is shaping up to be one for the history books.
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