Pablo Larraín’s Maria has garnered international acclaim. It screened at prestigious festivals, including Venice, Telluride, and New York, before making its debut at the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles on Saturday evening at the iconic Chinese Theater.
The audience was eager, filling the theater to see Larraín’s third installment in his trilogy of tragic biopics, following the critically acclaimed Jackie, featuring Natalie Portman, and Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana.
In Maria, Larraín delves into the tumultuous final days of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas, portrayed by Angelina Jolie. Set against the backdrop of 1970s Paris, she battles to reclaim her once-legendary voice.
AFI president Bob Gazzele opened the evening with a tribute to Callas, whose voice has graced nearly 100 films, most notably in Philadelphia. He remarked, “Tonight, [Maria Callas] will be with us in more than spirit, brought to life in a cinematic aria for all time. Our maestro hails from Santiago, Chile, and his films echo around the world.”
Set in the theatrical world of opera, Maria intertwines Callas’s remarkable past with haunting memories. It showcases her extraordinary voice and dramatic performances alongside visions of her late lover, Aristotle Onassis. Jolie delivers a mesmerizing performance, skillfully navigating the complexities of Callas’s self-doubt and royal diva persona.
Following the screening, Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins moderated a Q&A session where Larraín shared insights into his creative journey. He explained his initial fascination with art rather than film, which informed his choice to spotlight an opera singer. “My first interests were to art more than cinema, and I’ve always been very curious why there are very few movies about opera,” shared Larraín. “It’s an art that’s slowly becoming very elitist when it started as folk kind of music sung on the streets and in the countryside.”
When questioned about how Jolie came to the project, Larraín admitted that he wanted someone who exuded magnetism. He asked Jolie, after showing her Spencer’s final cut, whether she would portray Callas in his next film. “[Maria] is a film that requires an actress that has discipline to work on it. Maria Callas is someone who really changed the art and the music of opera. There is still this mystery around her, and it’s something that Angelina can play for a number of reasons.”
Jolie expressed her initial curiosity about the singing aspect of the role but emphasized her focus on Callas’s human experience rather than just the operatic dimension. “I think we all have that human song. We all have a voice, but we’re not asked or helped to find it,” Jolie explained. “I was so fortunate to be supported by Pablo and everybody to find my voice, and that was really emotional and very special. I got to be terrified as an artist again.”