Mexican film stars Salma Hayek and Demián Bichir will feature in the film Without Blood, an adaptation of the best-selling novel by best-selling Italian author Alessandro Baricco. The work, published in 2002, is set in the aftermath of an unidentified war.

The film adaptation of the novel will be written, produced, and directed by actress and director Angelina Jolie.

Both Hayek and Bichir have used their social media platforms to express enthusiasm for working with a star of Jolie's stature on the production.

“Being directed by Angelina Jolie is a dream come true. I have been a fan of her work as a filmmaker for many years,” said the renowned Mexican actress.

“Angelina is one of the best directors out there. Her films are full of depth and heart. I am honored to help you tell this beautiful story of the wonderful Alessandro Baricco. And what a joy it will be to be with you again in a movie, Salma," said Bichir, who's worked with Hayek before on the films In the Time of Butterflies (released in 2001) and Savages (released in 2012).

Without Blood tells the story of a woman who is faced with reliving her haunting past after meeting the man who saved her life when she was a child.

The film is set in the Italian countryside, and according to film press, production has already begun in the southern regions of Puglia, Basilicata, and the capital Rome.

“I am honored to be here in Italy to bring this very special material to the cinema and that Alessandro Baricco has entrusted me with the adaptation of his book, with its unique poetry and emotion and its way of seeing war and the questions that raises. about what we look for after a trauma, a loss or an injustice,” Jolie, an Oscar winner for Best Actress, said in a statement.

Without Blood is the fifth narrative feature film directed by the American actress. The first was the drama In the Land of Blood and Honey, released in 2011, followed by Unbroken in 2014, By the Sea in 2015, and First They Killed My Father, in 2017.

The film is produced by Fremantle, Jolie Productions, The Apartment Pictures, backed by Fremantle, and De Maio Entertainment.

The film's theatrical release date has yet to be confirmed.