Haddenham Screen

MARIA (12A)

2 hours 4 mins

Director:  Pablo Larrain

Starring:  Angeline Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher

Synopsis:

Paris, September 1977: Riddled with depression and sadness, legendary opera diva Maria Callas now leads a reclusive life away from the public eye. Despite her failing voice, the famed Greek-American soprano still harbors hopes of making a grand comeback. But Maria has already caught the unwanted attention of persistent paparazzo eager to witness her downfall. As vivid flashbacks reveal moments from her glamorous yet tumultuous career, a tragic narrative unfolds over the last seven days of the influential singer's life--a story filled with dreams, hardship, passion, and disappointment.

Awards:  one Oscar nomination, one Golden Globe nomination

Reviews:

"La Diva Eterna lives in Jolie, with a performance as towering as it is understated: sad and soulful and heartbreaking. She has never been better. Brava!"  ****  EMPIRE MAGAZINE

"Maria is a marvel to look at, unfolding in a Paris lit by pale September sun."  *** FINANCIAL TIMES

"La Divina, Jolie-style, is as much a performance as a person – a diva who never encountered a rococo staircase she couldn’t imperiously sweep down."  **** OBSERVER

"I found Jolie’s performance as luxurious as state-of-the-art fake fur, and there is an overt theatricality and artificiality which gives the film its life."  ****  GUARDIAN