Angelina Jolie Is 'Overwhelmed' by Positive Response to “Maria”: 'It Was a Vulnerable Project' (Exclusive Source)

A source tells PEOPLE that playing opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín's new biopic was "a touching experience" for Jolie

Angelina Jolie is basking in the rapturous response to her new movie Maria.

A source tells PEOPLE that the Oscar winner, 49, is "overwhelmed and so grateful for all the positive feedback about" Pablo Larraín's new biopic, in which she plays opera singer Maria Callas.

"It’s a touching experience. It was a vulnerable project. She’s excited," the insider adds.

Maria recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival before Jolie and Larraín, 48, jetted back to the U.S. to showcase their movie at the Telluride Film Festival.

Says a festival insider from Telluride, "Angelina looked like she was having a great time surrounded by the filmmaking community at the annual class photo. Everyone was trying to get photos with her."

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Related: Angelina Jolie Earns Standing Ovation at Telluride for Maria, Says She Was 'Out of My Mind' with Nerves When She Sang

Among the fellow A-listers the actress and filmmaker mingled with were Naomi Watts, Pharrell and John David Washington.

"This is a return to Telluride for her and she was loving going to [see other] films," the festival insider adds of Jolie.

Aside from chatting with fellow celebrities at the festival, Jolie stopped in town to talk with a handful of film students. She was also seen beaming at the two Maria screenings, and was met with huge applause when Larraín brought her out during the screening events.

Maria has received rousing standing ovations at both the Venice and Telluride festivals — including an eight-minute one in Italy, which moved Jolie to tears.

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The actress has opened up about her "nerves" making the movie as she has hit the festival circuit, revealing she never really sang before playing Callas and how she relates to the late opera diva.

"I think the way I related to her may be a surprise — [it was] probably the part of her that's extremely soft and doesn’t have room in the world to be as soft as she truly was, and as emotionally open as she truly was," Jolie said at a Venice press conference on Thursday, Aug. 29.

She was also asked how she feels about potential Oscar buzz surrounding her performance, replying that her, the bar for success has been based more the reaction from fans of Callas "and those who love opera."

"My fear would be to disappoint them," Jolie explained to reporters. "So of course all other things, in my own business, if there's a response to the work, I'm very grateful."

She added of Callas, "I share her vulnerability more than anything."

Netflix has acquired the rights to Maria, but a release date has not yet been announced.

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