Angelina Jolie is set to return to the big screen with a powerful new drama that blends fashion, identity, and personal struggle. The upcoming film Couture, which premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, has officially secured North American distribution.
Independent distributor Vertical Entertainment has acquired the rights to release the film in the United States and Canada, with a theatrical debut planned later this year. The project stars Angelina Jolie alongside Louis Garrel and brings audiences into the intense and glamorous world of Paris Fashion Week.
A Story Set Behind the Glamour of Paris Fashion Week
Directed by acclaimed French filmmaker Alice Winocour, Couture unfolds during the chaotic energy of Paris Fashion Week, where the lives of three very different women intersect in unexpected ways.
At the center of the story is Maxine, played by Angelina Jolie — a filmmaker who receives a life-changing diagnosis of breast cancer. As she navigates the emotional impact of the illness, she reconnects with a collaborator from her past, portrayed by Louis Garrel, sparking a complicated love story.
Running parallel to Maxine’s journey is Ada, played by newcomer Anyier Anei. Ada is a young model attempting to build a career while escaping the limited future she faced back home in South Sudan.
The third key figure in the story is Angèle, played by Ella Rumpf, a makeup artist who works quietly behind the scenes of the fashion industry — often overlooked despite playing an essential role in the spectacle of the runway.
As their lives begin to intersect, the film explores the emotional connections and solidarity that form between these women across very different worlds.
A Personal Story From Director Alice Winocour
Alice Winocour, known for films like Paris Memories and Proxima, has described Couture as one of her most personal projects.
According to the director, the film examines how women carry both visible and invisible scars — and how shared experiences can create unexpected bonds.
She explained that the story was designed to highlight collective strength rather than focusing on a single protagonist. By bringing together women from different cultures and professions, the film aims to move beyond the surface-level images often associated with the fashion industry.
Angelina Jolie’s Performance at the Center
Much of the early conversation around Couture has focused on Angelina Jolie’s central performance. Industry insiders who saw the film at TIFF noted that Jolie plays the role of Maxine with quiet emotional intensity.
The character’s journey — dealing with illness, creativity, and personal relationships — gives Jolie the space to deliver a more introspective performance compared to many of her recent projects.
Jolie is also involved behind the scenes, serving as one of the film’s producers alongside veteran producer Charles Gillibert.
The Supporting Cast Expands the Story
Beyond Jolie and Garrel, Couture features a strong international ensemble cast that reflects the film’s global themes.
The lineup includes:
- Garance Marillier
- Finnegan Oldfield
- Vincent Lindon
Together, the cast helps build a story that moves between the high-profile spectacle of fashion shows and the quieter personal struggles unfolding behind the scenes.
What the Distribution Deal Means
The acquisition by Vertical Entertainment marks an important step toward bringing Couture to wider audiences. The company previously worked with Alice Winocour on the U.S. release of Proxima, and the partnership continues with this new project.
Executives at the distributor praised Jolie’s performance and described the film as bold, emotionally honest storytelling.
With a theatrical release planned later this year, Couture is expected to reach both arthouse audiences and viewers drawn to character-driven dramas set in visually striking worlds.
Final Words
At its core, Couture is not just about fashion — it’s about identity, resilience, and the invisible connections that can form between people facing very different challenges.
With Alice Winocour’s thoughtful direction and Angelina Jolie’s deeply personal performance, the film is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing international dramas heading to theaters this year.
For audiences, it offers a rare glimpse behind the glamour of the runway — into the lives, struggles, and strength of the women who exist beyond the spotlight.
