Angelina Jolie Brings Her and Brad Pitt's Kids to Her First Public Appearance Since Divorce Filing

The actress and the couple's six children attended a free screening of her movie First They Killed My Father in Cambodia

By Corinne Heller Feb 19, 2017 12:27 AMTags
Angelina Jolie, Pax Jolie-Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie-PittAP Photo/Heng Sinith

Angelina Jolie is back in the spotlight after a turbulent few months.

The 41-year-old Oscar winner has kept away from the public eye since she filed for divorce from Brad Pitt on September. The two are currently engaged in a custody battle over their six children.

Jolie made her first official public post-split appearance Saturday at a free screening of her new film First They Killed My Father at the Terrace of the Elephant in the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia and brought along all the kids—Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8. The actress had adopted Maddox at an orphanage about 100 miles away in 2002.

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Jolie, Zahara and Vivienne all donned different black maxi dresses, while Maddox, Pax, Shiloh and Knox wore black, gray and tan suits.

The actress was all smiles at the event. She also met the Cambodian King, Norodom Sihamoni, at his royal residence in Siem Reap.

Jolie directed and co-wrote the screenplay for First They Killed My Father, which is based author and activist Loung Ung's horrific experiences serving as a child soldier in Cambodia in 1975 during Khmer Rouge's reign of terror and genocide. The movie is set for release on Netflix later this year.

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Following its premiere, Jolie changed into a stunning fuchsia chiffon gown for a ceremony honoring the film. Once again, all six of her children joined their mother and stood by her side as King Norodom Sihamoni presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

"I cannot find words to express what it means to me that I was entrusted with telling part of the story of this country," Jolie told reporters, via People. "This film was not made to focus on the horrors of the past, but to celebrate the resilience, kindness and talent of the Cambodian people."

Jolie added, "Most of all, this film is my way of saying thank you to Cambodia. Without Cambodia I may never have become a mother. Part of my heart is and will always be in this country. And part of this country is always with me: Maddox."

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Her eldest son then addressed the audience with a few gracious words of his own.

"Thank you everyone for attending tonight. We finally made it. It's a great honor to present this film to all of you, and to stand by my mother and my family. And now I'd like to introduce my little sister Shiloh, as she has something to say," he shared.

Shiloh then took center stage and said in Khmer, "My name is Shiloh and I love Cambodia."

Pitt had made his first celebrity appearance since his and Jolie's split about two months after she filed divorce papers. He attended a screening of the now Oscar-nominated film Moonlight, which he co-produced, and was later spotted at an event for his new movie Allied.

Jolie had also recently returned to another love since her and Pitt's split; Activism. Earlier this month, the actress published an Op-Ed in the New York Times, urging the United States government to continue helping foreign refugees.

 (This story was originally published on Saturday, February 18, 2017 at 8:01 a.m.)