Angelina Jolie Takes Her Kids to the Toronto International Film Festival

The actress is in town to promote The Breadwinner and First They Killed My Father

By Zach Johnson Sep 11, 2017 11:55 AMTags

The Jolie-Pitts have taken over the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.

Angelina Jolie flew into town over the weekend to promote her upcoming Netflix movie, First They Killed My Father (available globally Sept. 15). The director took four of her six kids—Zahara Jolie-Pitt, 12, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, 11, Knox Jolie-Pitt, 9, and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, 9—to see a screening of The Breadwinner at the Winter Garden Theatre Sunday afternoon.

The family spent time with Loung Ung, who wrote the memoir First They Killed My Father, as well as the film's stars, Kimhak Mun and Sareum Srey Moch. Angelina, who produced the animated movie The Breadwinner, also introduced her kids to director Nora Twomey and actress Saara Chaudry.

George Pimentel/WireImage

Noticeably missing? Maddox Jolie-Pitt, who produced First The Killed My Father. Though the 16-year-old joined his entire family over Labor Day Weekend for the film's premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, he did not appear to be in Toronto; his mom did not explain his absence.

(Pax Jolie-Pitt, 13, was also M.I.A.)

Maddox may have been busy, or perhaps Angelina didn't want to push him.

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2017 Toronto Film Festival: Star Sightings
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After all, during an informal conversation at the Glenn Gould Theater earlier that morning, Angelina talked about her own upbringing as the child of two Hollywood actors. "I did grow up around film in a town where film was so important; it was all anyone talked about," Angelina said, adding, "I never really thought I could be anything else—and I never really questioned it."

Angelina "partially" began appearing in movies in the early '90s to impress her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007. "It made her so happy. I realized when my mom passed away it was something I was very much doing for her. I haven't done much since she passed away, in front of the camera, and now I'm going to do it for my kids," she said. "It's fun."

Regarding directing, she said, "I like championing other people and finding their greatness."

That's not to say directing was always her dream. "I am one of those actors who was always aware of the whole. I believe strongly it's about how we contribute to the whole. I tried to stay very aware of that. I was curious about what everyone's job is. I never thought I could make a movie ever; I never thought I could write," she said. "...It was not a goal to become a director."

But Angelina always had a point of view. "I believe our world is stronger for diversity. We have so much to share with each other, and the greatest way to deeply learn and know each other is to create together. The humanitarian work I do, I love it—I'm passionate about it," she said. "The people I have met have taught me how to be a better mother, how to be a better person."

Speaking about The Breadwinner, Angelina said, "I love this story because it says so much about family, about people, and the sad reality of so many girls having to work and not getting to go to school." First They Killed My Father, about the Khmer Rouge regime, is just as affecting. "The country deserves this film and needs this dialogue. I also made it for Maddox. I wanted him to work on it—to see it. He was going to immerse himself in what his birth parents went though."

—Reporting by Beth Sobol

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