Venice Film Festival prepares to greet Angelina Jolie and ‘Maria,’ her film about famed opera singer

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Angelina Jolie has performed an evil queen, a battle correspondent, a hacker, a world spy and a sociopath and is now including opera singer to her resume.

It’s not simply any opera singer both: Jolie stars because the legendary soprano Maria Callas in a brand new movie from Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín. “Maria” may have its world premiere in competitors on the Venice Movie Competition Thursday evening.

Larraín, a Venice common, continues his to discover the lives of very well-known girls with tragic narratives hooked up to them. In 2016, he got here to the competition along with his Jackie Kennedy portrait, “Jackie,” starring Natalie Portman as the primary woman within the aftermath of her husband’s assassination. In 2021, he returned with Kristen Stewart taking part in Princess Diana as she thought-about divorce over the Christmas vacation in “Spencer.” Each movies earned their leads greatest actress Oscar nominations.

“Maria” is the so-called conclusion to this trilogy of historic girls, although Callas could also be a bit much less identified to youthful generations who weren’t round for the headlines and scandals. Born Maria Kalogeropoulos, to Greek dad and mom in New York and made her skilled debut in Athens as a 17-year-old.

Throughout her temporary life she turned one of many biggest opera singers of all time together with her unparalleled voice and stage presence; however the accolades additionally got here with the extreme scrutiny of her life within the public eye, whether or not it was her exacting calls for and “diva” habits, her weight or her romantic life. Callas famously had a relationship with transport magnate Aristotle Onassis who left her for Jackie Kennedy.

She died in Paris at age 53 after a coronary heart assault.

Larraín instructed Vainness Truthful that Jolie skilled for six months to organize for the position. The singing within the movie, which reportedly focuses on the ultimate week of her life in 1977, is a mix of actor and the true factor.

Jolie has twice been nominated for performing Oscars. She gained for her supporting position in “Woman, Interrupted,” and was final nominated for her main position in Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling.”

“Maria” was not too long ago acquired by Netflix for distribution.

Jolie is expecte to depart Venice earlier than her ex-husband Brad Pitt arrives for the premiere of his movie “Wolfs” on Sunday. Although legally single since 2019, they’re nonetheless combating over points like custody, funds and a vineyard in France.

“Maria” is among the many 21 options competing for the competition’s awards which might be introduced on Sept. 7.

___

For extra protection of the 2024 Venice Movie Competition, go to https://apnews.com/hub/venice-film-festival.