On January 3, The Palm Springs International Film Festival showcased ‘Maria’ as part of its Talking Pictures series. This film was brought by Kering Program ‘Women In Motion’ which celebrates women in arts and culture.
The Talking pictures program provides fans the chance to hear exclusive in-depth conversation from directors and actors. “Maria” was one of many films selected for this year’s lineup.
An extended post screening discussion featured with Academy Award-winning actress Angelina Jolie at the Annenberg theater, hosted by Clayton Davis, Variety’s Senior Awards Editor.
‘Maria’ centers the life of a famous opera singer Maria Callas during her final days, as she tells her story with the complexities of fame in the setting of Paris 1970’s. Directed by Pablo Larraín, the film beautifully capture her essence.
As Jolie made her way to stage, she received a standing ovation from the audience, expressing her gratitude “thank you so much, you’re going to make me cry.”
To prepare for her role, she dedicated long hours and seven months to vocal training, immersing herself in the lessons to embody Callas. “I took singing opera lessons for seven months to get into the character as fully as possible. My vocals were blended with Callas original recordings. The lessons began with tons of breathwork, requiring me to push my body. It was simply a whole different physicality. It was a honor to represent the late singer on stage.”
She also shared personal insights into the filming process “My kids were on set as production assistants, and during filming, they saw me become vulnerable. As a parent, we tend to hide that side from our children. They’ve witnessed me go through a lot, but they haven’t seen me show much pain.”
When asked about advice for young artists, Jolie emphasized, “Its really important to live a full life. There’s so much focus on just having a career. If you love what you do, you can do reading at home in your pajamas, but always strive to live as an artists and surround yourself with other artists to learn from.”
The discussion ended “Live a full life and whatever life teaches you, communicate it through your art” You have to truly experience life and commit to it.”
“Maria had everything except life off the stage. Life off the stage is real life”
Later that evening, the annual film awards took place at The Palm Springs Convention Center, where Angelina Jolie walked the red carpet alongside her daughter, Zahara Marley Jolie, and was honored for Desert Palm Achievement Award.
Maria is available to stream on Netflix. For more information on screenings and tickets, visit https://www.psfilmfest.org
