> At a Glance
> – Angelina Jolie stars in the first trailer for French-language drama Couture
> – The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival
> – Jolie plays a divorcing filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer
> – Why it matters: The Oscar winner drew on her own family history with cancer and preventative surgery
Angelina Jolie returns to the screen in her most personal project yet. The first trailer for Couture dropped January 6, showcasing the actress speaking French in a drama that mirrors her real-life health journey.
A Story Close to Home
Set during Paris Fashion Week, Jolie portrays a filmmaker navigating divorce when she receives a breast-cancer diagnosis. She speaks both English and French throughout the film, which debuted at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Jolie, 50, has spoken candidly about her emotional connection to the role. Her mother died from breast and ovarian cancer in 2007 at age 56. Six years later, Jolie underwent a preventative double mastectomy after genetic testing revealed her elevated cancer risk.
Jolie told Time France:
> “It’s a very personal story for me.”
The December cover showed the actress displaying her surgery scars, underscoring how the project resonates with her own experience.
Life, Not Just Illness
The Academy Award winner praised director Alice Winocour’s approach to depicting cancer on screen.
Jolie explained**:
> “Too often, films about women’s struggles – especially cancer – talk about endings and sadness, rarely about life. Alice has made a film about life, and that’s precisely why the sensitive subjects it addresses are handled with such delicacy.”
She emphasized the importance of focusing on resilience rather than despair.
> “Hardships, illnesses and pain are part of our existence, but what matters is how we face them. For me, and for so many women who have experienced this, it was essential to remember that what allows us to get through these times is precisely life itself.”
Vulnerability on Set
Jolie wears her late mother’s necklace in the film, adding another layer of personal significance. Speaking to Variety at the Toronto premiere, she described the filming experience as emotionally raw.
> “I felt very vulnerable making the movie. I feel like it’s such a personal film. It felt so private that in my mind, it’s probably the one film that doesn’t feel like a film.”
Couture opens in French theaters February 18. No U.S. release date has been announced.
Key Takeaways
- Jolie immediately connected with the role after reading the script
- The film emphasizes living fully despite illness
- Personal touches include her mother’s necklace and Jolie’s own scars
- Couture marks Jolie’s return to French-language cinema
The trailer offers the first glimpse of a project that blurs the line between performance and personal history for one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars.
