Earlier this month, Angelina Jolie presented her new directorial work Without Blood at the Toronto International Film Festival 2024. Lead actors Salma Hayek Pinault and Demián Bichir were in attendance to present the film as well. 

The World Premiere was a family affair for the main stars of the night. Demián Bichir arrived with his pregnant girlfriend, dancer Victoria Aletta. Angelina Jolie was joined by her son Pax, who had worked on the film as an assistant. Salma Hayek Pinault arrived with her husband, the fashion mogul, CEO of Kering, François-Henri Pinault. Fittingly, she was dressed in a gorgeous sparkly wine-coloured gown by Gucci (a brand owned by Kering). Meanwhile, Jolie was in a black Dolce & Gabbana gown with opera gloves. 

Without Blood is based on a namesake novel by the Italian writer Alessandro Baricco and was filmed in Cinecittà studios in Rome. 

The story is about the aftermath of a war and the feelings that stay long after the war ends. Although it is an unnamed and undated war, the movie is set up as a Mexican Revolution. The film explores the psychological toll of the war, the memory, revenge and trauma and how those feelings are, indeed, universal.  

Nina (Salma Hayek Pinault), whose family was brutally murdered when she was a child, encounters Tito (Demián Bichir), who was one of the murderers but saved her life. Their conversation and emotional exchanges with vivid flashbacks of the past constitute this poetic and beautifully shot film. 

Jolie, Hayek and Bichir stayed after the screening to discuss the film with TIFF’s CEO Cameron Bailey. During their conversation, it was revealed that when Jolie approached Hayek, the Mexican actress first declined the opportunity! But once she realized that Jolie was directing (and not producing) the film, she agreed and had an amazing experience. 

They also shared that it was the third time that Hayek and Bichir have worked together on a film and this chemistry helped to bring the touching story of Without Blood to life. 

Magnetic performances by Salma Hayek and Demián Bichir, indeed, kept the viewers attached to the screen for the entirety of the film, until the last scenes.

Without Blood has no release date yet and is currently seeking distribution. 

Images by Darina Granik and courtesy of TIFF.