Angelina Jolie cries on red carpet at premiere of her latest film 'Unbroken'

Angelina Jolie has broken into tears on the red carpet of her new film's world premiere in Sydney tonight.

The typically composed actress and director was overcome by emotion during an interview with the Nine Network about the debut of her latest project, Unbroken, which premieres in Australia after being filmed here earlier this year.

Jolie, who directed the World War II epic, was talking about the film's subject Louis Zamperini when she became emotional.

The movie tracks the life of Zamperini, a US Olympian turned war hero who survived a POW camp in Japan.

The film is an adaption of a book written by Zamperini, who died earlier this year.

Despite Unbroken not being released in Australia until next year, Jolie had a chance to show Zamperini her production before he died aged 97 in July.