October 17, 2024: Angelina Jolie will be honored with the Maltin Modern Master Award at the 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), set to take place on February 5, 2025.
This award, the festival’s highest honor, celebrates filmmakers who have made significant achievements in the film industry. The award, originally established in 1995 and renamed in 2015 to honor film critic Leonard Maltin, will recognize Jolie for her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s biographical drama Maria.
Jolie’s performance as Callas received critical acclaim and an eight-minute standing ovation at the film’s world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, highlighting her powerful interpretation of the legendary opera singer. Maria reimagines the final days of Callas’ life as she reflects on her identity and legacy while living in Paris. The film was produced by Jonas Dornbach, Janine Jackowski, Juan de Dios Larraín, and Lorenzo Mieli.
Jolie joins a prestigious list of past recipients of the Maltin Modern Master Award, including Robert Downey Jr., Nicole Kidman, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, and Cate Blanchett. Known for her diverse body of work, Jolie has had an illustrious career both as an actor and a director, with roles in films like Girl, Interrupted (1999), Changeling (2008), and Maleficent (2014), along with directing credits such as Unbroken (2014) and First They Killed My Father (2017).
Leonard Maltin praised Jolie, stating, “She makes bold choices, both as an actress and as a director… and always comes through.” The SBIFF, running from February 4 to 15, 2025, is a key event in the film industry’s awards season.
