Angelina Jolie breaks down in tears honoring late mother in moving SBIFF awards speech

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA: Angelina Jolie was deeply moved as she took the stage at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) on Wednesday night, February 5, to accept the Maltin Modern Master Award.

As she delivered her speech after accepting the festival's highest honor, Jolie became visibly emotional while paying tribute to her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, whose unwavering support helped shape her career.

Angelina Jolie's emotional tribute to late mother Marcheline Bertrand

The audience at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara watched as Angelina Jolie’s voice wavered with emotion when she spoke about Marcheline Bertrand who died in 2007 after an eight-year battle with ovarian and breast cancer.

“I’m very thankful to be a part of this community. Many people go through life without a creative outlet,” Jolie shared.

“I think of my mother—she had to give up her dreams of a creative life, but she embraced that side of mine,” she added.

Jolie moved the audience when she revealed that her mother would write letters addressed to her film characters throughout her career.

“My mother would write letters to my characters—Dear Gia, Dear Lisa Rowe, Dear Lara Croft,” she said, referencing some of her most memorable roles in 'Gia' (1998), 'Girl, Interrupted' (1999), and 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider' (2001).

“For the last 16 years, I haven’t had those letters,” she shared.

Reflecting on the profound loss of her mother, Jolie said, “I would be absolutely nothing without mine. She passed away many years ago at this time of year, so it’s always this weather that reminds me of her.”

Angelina Jolie opens up on honoring Marcheline Bertrand through film

Angelina Jolie, who most recently portrayed legendary opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain’s 2024 biopic 'Maria', expressed that she often imagines what her mother would have written to this latest character.

“I try to imagine sometimes what she would write. And she would probably have told Maria that she loved her, because Maria had many things, but she never had a mother’s love,” she shared.

"Every time I take on a new role, I still think about what my mother would say. And that will never change,” she concluded, according to Daily Mail.

Angelina Jolie reflects on fulfilling her mother's dreams

Angelina Jolie has previously spoken about how her acting career was initially pursued as a means to fulfill her mother’s dreams.

“I did it in the beginning because... it was my mother’s dream,” she told W Magazine in an earlier interview.

“By the time my mom was 25, she was divorced with two kids and she decided she would focus her life solely on motherhood. She loved being a stay-at-home mom, but she really wanted me to be an actress,” Jolie shared.

Bertrand, who once pursued a career in acting herself, stepped away from Hollywood to dedicate her life to raising Jolie and her brother, James Haven.

Angelina Jolie's career and accomplishments

On Wednesday night, February 5, Angelina Jolie was honored not only for her accomplishments as an actress but also as a filmmaker and humanitarian.

The Maltin Modern Master Award has been presented to some of the most respected names in the industry, with past recipients including Martin Scorsese, Cate Blanchett, and Christopher Nolan.

Her contributions extend beyond acting as she has directed critically acclaimed films such as 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' (2011) and 'First They Killed My Father' (2017).

In addition to her filmmaking achievements, Jolie is known for her extensive humanitarian efforts, advocating for refugees and children’s rights worldwide.