Angelina Jolie’s Godmother Jacqueline Bisset Presents Her with an Award in Sweet Moment at Palm Springs Film Festival

Angelina Jolie's award presentation was made all the more special as it was delivered by her godmother Jacqueline Bisset. 

Bisset, 80, gave a loving introduction to Jolie, 49, at the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s film awards gala on Friday, Jan. 3, praising the Oscar winner’s work in Maria . For her leading role as opera star Maria Callas, Jolie earned a Desert Palm Achievement Award at the event. 

"It is such a thrill to be here with you tonight to present this award to Angelina Jolie, who just happens to be my goddaughter, and whose mother Marcheline was one of my dearest friends,” said the British actress onstage at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Bisset added that she was "immensely proud" of Jolie in her career and as a humanitarian and "exceptional mother."

Jolie thanked Bisset in her acceptance speech along with those she worked with on Maria "for allowing me to have a voice, and to find mine again."

She continued, "I'm very grateful for our director Pablo Larrain. I was so scared to do this film … it was a privilege to be on this journey with you. The freedom to express and create is the greatest."

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Jolie, who attended the ceremony with her daughter Zahara, 19, added of her portrayal of Maria Callas, "Callas was loved. But Maria was often alone. But I'm all right because when I walk off this stage, I am more myself because of you, Zahara, and your brothers and sisters."

She held onto her trophy backstage at the awards ceremony as she posed for a photo alongside Bisset.

For her role in Maria, Jolie has earned recognition this awards season from the Gotham Awards, Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and more.

Of her honor at the Palm Springs Film Festival awards gala, Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement, “Maria presents the iconic Angelina Jolie in the role of a lifetime as she embodies Maria Callas, the world-renowned opera legend. Jolie’s extraordinary portrayal captures the heart and complexity of an artist whose life was as captivating as her music.”

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Receiving the Gothams’ Performer Tribute in December, Jolie shouted out her mom Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007 at age 56, after a battle with ovarian cancer. 

Bisset revealed to PEOPLE in 2021 that Jolie’s mother asked her to be "godmother when Angie was in the tummy."

She said the two became close friends, "around 1971 while filming End of the Game with director Maximilian Schell and [Jolie's father] Jon Voight, who [Bertrand] was married to at the time."

Among her over 100 film and TV credits, Bisset once almost starred with her goddaughter and Brad Pitt in 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith. However, after she filmed her brief scenes, the part was reworked and recast.

Maria is now in theaters and streaming on Netflix.