Malia Obama Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance at French Film Festival: ‘A Little Bit Terrified’

Mar. 15, 2025

Malia Obama attends the Deauville American Film Festival on Sept. 6, 2024.Photo:Foc Kan/WireImage

Foc Kan/WireImage

Malia Obamais making a rare red carpet appearance.

On Friday, Sept. 6,the eldest daughterofformer U.S. President Barackand his wifeMichelle Obamaattended the 50th annualDeauville American Film Festivalin France, where she presented her short film and directorial debutThe Heart.

It was a new setting for Malia, 26, who was honored with the Young Spirit award at the festival, and she admitted she wasn’t used to life on the red carpet while speaking at the event.

“I’m so excited. I mean, I’ve never done anything like this … so of course [I’m] a little bit terrified, but mostly just excited,” the filmmaker toldParis Matchin a clip shared to TikTok.

For the outing, Malia wore a mismatched plaidVivienne Westwoodensemble which consisted of a blue and white layered skirt and a red and black off-the-shoulder corset-style top.

Malia Obama attends the Deauville American Film Festival on Sept. 6, 2024.Foc Kan/WireImage

Malia toldParis Matchof her look, “Vivienne Westwood, Queen.”

“It’s cool,” she added. “I don’t know as much about fashion, but I’m happy to be wearing it.”

Malia created her filmThe Heartunder the name Malia Ann (Ann is her middle name).

Per a synopsis,The Heart— which is 18 minutes long — tells the story of, “A lone­ly man [who] grieves the death of his moth­er after an argu­ment about gro­ceries and an odd request in her will,” according to the Deauville American Film Festival’swebsite.

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“In this excep­tion­al year, the Young Spir­it Award goes to direc­tor Malia Ann, in her pres­ence, for her first short film,The Heart,” it continued.

Malia Obama, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama and Sasha Obama pictured with their dogs in 2015.Pete Souza/The White House via Getty

Pete Souza/The White House via Getty

Malia’s latest appearance comes afterThe Heartwas screened as part of the U.S. short fiction filmsat the 2024 Sundance Film Festivalin January.

“We hope you enjoy the film and it makes you feel a bit less lonely, or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are," she added in the YouTube clip.

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Malia previously worked as a writer on thePrime Video thriller seriesSwarm.

During an interview withEntertainment Tonightin March 2023,Janine Nabers, who was a showrunner on the set, said that Harvard-educatedMalia was an “incredible writer”who “brought a lot to the table.”

“She’s really, really dedicated to her craft,” Nabers told the outlet.

source: people.com