Angelina Jolie’s visit to the San Sebastián Film Festival was as unexpected as it was intense. Announced barely a day before the start of the event, the actress and director became the main attraction at the premiere of Couture, a film competing for the Golden Shell, on a day marked by relentless rain and an atmosphere of anticipation that extended far beyond the cinema halls.

With no prior photocalls or interviews beyond the press conference, Jolie’s whirlwind visit still left a strong impression. First, by breaking protocol on the red carpet, walking it end to end to greet the hundreds of fans waiting for her under umbrellas and raincoats. Later, at a press conference where she appeared warm and vulnerable: she became emotional when speaking about the United States, confessing that although she loves it deeply, she no longer recognizes it today. “I feel like an international person,” she stated, recalling that she has lived in and has friends all over the world. She added that the current global climate of conflict and hatred deeply saddens her.

A Star-Studded Cast in a Flawed Film
The cast of Couture is top-tier: Vincent Lindon, Ella Rumpf, and Louis Garrel lend star power, though their characters remain sketched in archetypal ways, without standout moments that lift the narrative. And therein lies one of the film’s central issues: it is watchable, even entertaining, but never manages to rise into something memorable.

Ultimately, Couture is a flawed film, though not without interest in certain passages—especially when it strays from clichés and allows room for fresh voices. Jolie’s visit, however, turned the screening into one of the festival’s standout moments so far, proving that her magnetism transcends the screen and remains intact in direct contact with the public.