Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek bring a story of wartime violence to theaters today. Their film Without Blood stars Hayek in a tense story about survival, memory, and revenge.
Jolie wrote, directed, and produced the project. The screenplay adapts Alessandro Baricco’s novel of the same name and marks Jolie’s latest feature behind the camera.
Brainstorm Media acquired the U.S. distribution rights and scheduled an exclusive theatrical release for September 18, 2026. The movie first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 before its Italian release in April 2025.
Without Blood explores war, trauma, and revenge through Salma Hayek’s character
Hayek plays Nina, a woman whose family is attacked during an unnamed conflict. She survives the violence as a child, carrying the memory into adulthood and eventually confronting someone tied to her past.
That person is Tito, played by Demián Bichir. Years after the attack, Nina approaches him at his lottery kiosk. Their seemingly ordinary meeting soon becomes a difficult reckoning with what happened years earlier.
Juan Minujín also stars as Salinas. Much of the film centers on Nina and Tito’s conversation, with flashbacks filling in the events that shaped both characters. This structure keeps the focus on their shared history rather than a large-scale battle setting.
Jolie uses that intimate setup to examine the lasting effects of violence that is left behind after the fighting ends. The film looks at memory, grief, healing, and revenge through the eyes of the people forced to live with its consequences.
Hayek initially turned down the role of Nina before Jolie persuaded her to accept it. She discussed that decision with Jolie and Bichir during the film’s TIFF Q&A in 2024.
Without Blood was filmed at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios and runs for 91 minutes. The film also reunites Jolie and Hayek after they collaborated on Marvel’s Eternals. It marks their latest collaboration to reach American audiences.
