Angelina Jolie Champions Hollywood’s Next Generation at Chopard Trophée Gala
Friday night at the Cannes Film Festival, Angelina Jolie was deemed a “godmother” at the glitzy Chopard Gala—but she was dressed like a goddess in a white.
The revered actress and filmmaker was in town for Chopard’s Trophée, which was started in 2001 by Caroline Scheufele, the president and artistic director of the jewelry brand, to have established actors and actresses highlight exciting new talent. This year, the recipients of the gold-plated award—which is shaped like a film strip and is reminiscent of a watch band—were French actress Marie Colomb and London-born Finn Bennett. Pay attention to these names, as the awardees have a strong track record, including Mike Faist last year, plus actors including Adèle Exarchopoulos, Logan Lerman, Florence Pugh, Marion Cotillard, and Léa Seydoux before that.
Scheufele herself chooses the “godmothers” and “godfathers” (in previous years, the designation was given to Demi Moore, Robert De Niro, Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore, and Cate Blanchett). This year’s VIP, Jolie, had everyone in town buzzing (including my taxi driver, whose response to my stated destination was to ask, “Angelina Jolie?”).
Marie Colomb, Angelina Jolie, and Finn Bennett.
Finn Bennett even noted how incredibly honored he was to receive the award from godmother Jolie on Friday. “She’s not only [an incredible actor],” he said. “Her work in humanitarian causes and ecological causes means she is someone who is always on the right side of history.”
Jolie showed that was correct when she used her platform to highlight just two films screening in Cannes, including the haunting and delicate My Father’s Shadow, the directorial debut from Akinola Davies Jr. and the first Nigerian film to be selected for competition in the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered Sunday in the Un Certain Regard section.
Jolie opened her speech by saying, “I love international cinema. We are brought to other lands, and private moments, even on the battlefield. We connect and we empathize.” She added that none of the audience there was naive—many artists around the world lack the freedom and security to tell their stories, and many have lost their lives. She named Fatima Hassouna, killed in Gaza on April 16 of this year, and the subject of Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, a documentary which premiered in Cannes on May 15, 2025 in the ACID parallel section. She also paid tribute to Shaden Gardood, who was killed in Sudan; and Viktoriia Amelina, killed in the Ukraine.
In the audience were many of the Cannes jury members, including Juliette Binoche and Jeremy Strong. Jury member Halle Berry wowed all with an opulent Chopard snake necklace made of 12.21 carats of emeralds and 87.46 carats of diamonds set in 18-karat white gold. Quentin Tarantino was also there, wearing Chopard—as was model/actress/singer and former French First Lady Carla Bruni, who was due to sing but decided not to because of what she deemed a too-distracting thumping bass from the beach club next door.
While the charming Bennett and Colomb were the official awardees, Jolie also seemed to be acting as unofficial godmother to Italian actress and international sweetheart Alba Rohrwacher, a member of the Cannes jury and recent costar of Pablo Larraín’s Maria starring Jolie. The two women hugged deeply when Jolie arrived and seemed delighted to be reunited at the sparkling party.
