The response to her latest film moves Angelina Jolie to tears.

Jolie, who plays the late opera singer Maria Callas in director Pablo Larraín’s Maria, earned an eight-minute standing ovation at the Sala Grande Theater on Thursday, August 29 during the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

Jolie, 49, teared up as the audience cheered the film’s conclusion.

The Academy Award-winning actress brushed away tears and turned her gaze aside from the audience. Jolie hugged Larraín, 48, and her castmates as they soaked in the audience’s enthusiasm for the picture.

Several individuals shared footage of Jolie on social media during her standing ovation. “Angelina Jolie’s 8-minute standing ovation at #Venezia81 for ‘Maria’ is the most rapturous applause I’ve seen at the festival since Brendan Fraser launched his Oscar campaign for The Whale here two years ago,” Variety’s Editor-in-Chief Ramin Setoodeh posted on X (previously Twitter).

To the premiere, Jolie wore a bespoke strapless beige Tamara Ralph gown with arms covered by a fur stole, romantic draping down the silhouette, and a pleated skirt hem.

She completed her appearance with a strong red lip matching her nails, contrasting with the monochrome earth-tone suit.

Before the screening, Jolie discussed how the role brought many problems. According to The Hollywood Reporter, playing the legendary soprano gave her “therapy I didn’t realize I needed” during a press conference Thursday.

“I had no idea how much I was holding in and not letting out,” she told me. The challenge wasn’t technical; finding my voice, being in my body, and communicating were emotional. “You must give every part of yourself.”

Meanwhile, before production in 2022, Jolie remarked on her role: “I take very seriously the responsibility for Maria’s life and legacy.” I shall offer my utmost to tackle the task. I have long admired filmmaker Pablo Larraín. “To be able to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.”

Larraín expressed his desire to blend his interests in cinema and opera. This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with Angelina, a very courageous and adventurous artist.” A true gift.

According to a press release, the film depicts the “tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and reimagined during her final days in 1970s Paris.”