In a teaser that only features two lines of dialogue, but more glowing critical quotes and film festival bona fides to already land the film in next year’s Oscar race, Netflix has revealed Angelina Jolie as opera great Maria Callas.
In Maria, which was directed by Pablo Larraín, who helmed the movies Jackie and Spencer, Jolie portrays no less than “one of the greatest artists who ever lived,” according to the teaser.
She’s first shown striding onto a stage in an empty performance venue, with a pianist asking her, “Maria: What do you want to sing?”
What follows is montage of the film, Callas in various costumes standing before sold-out crowds; being crushed by adoring fans; and sobbing by herself.
Back to that empty space, Maria waves her hand to the musician and tells him “Not today” before striding away.
According to Netflix, “The film follows the American-Greek soprano as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye,” adding the film “reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life.”
The premiere of the film was met with an eight-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival in August that left Jolie in tears.
Maria debuts in select theaters in November and on Netflix Dec. 11.
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