Without Blood


Without Blood is a 2024 war drama film written, coproduced, and directed by Angelina Jolie and based on Alessandro Baricco's book of the same name. It stars Salma Hayek, Demián Bichir, and Juan Minujín.
The film premiered in the Special Presentations section at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, and was released in Italy on April 10, 2025.

Cast

In June 2022, it was revealed that Angelina Jolie would direct and write an adaptation based on the book titled Without Blood by Alessandro Baricco. Salma Hayek, Demián Bichir, and Juan Minujín were cast in the lead roles as Nina, Tito, and Salinas. Jolie's elder sons Maddox and Pax also joined the cast. Principal photography began around June in Apulia and Basilicata.

Release

The film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was released in Italy on April 10, 2025.

Critical reception

IndieWire found the film mediocre, suffering from a "lack of dramatic shape" but with "good intentions", giving it a "C" grade. The Wrap called it "a film with its heart in the right place yet only a faint pulse", writing "Not only does the film's conclusion then feel quite rushed, it's hard to say that everything that preceded it was patient enough either. The story Jolie is seeking to tell in Without Blood is certainly one worth telling, it's just a shame this isn’t the film to do it successfully." Similarly, The Hollywood Reporter stated that the film "plays it safe" and "the story ultimately seems too thin to bear the weight of its themes."
Baricco praised the film, saying that he saw "the characters I had imagined come to life. It was amazing. Meeting Angelina, her talent, her courage, and her gentle strength, has been a privilege for me. The beauty of the film preserves much of what is so special about her."