Adam Driver's 'Ferrari' accelerates Venice competition

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【Summary】Adam Driver's film "Ferrari" starring Penelope Cruz is expected to bring star power to the Venice Film Festival, which has seen a lack of celebrities due to an actors strike in Hollywood. The film was granted an exemption by the unions since it was made outside the studio system. Other films generating buzz include Luc Besson's "Dogman" and Pablo Larrain's "El Conde," with several Netflix productions also premiering at the festival.

FutureCar Staff Aug 31, 2023 4:24 PM PT

Adam Driver's 'Ferrari' accelerates Venice competition

The Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion race is set to gain momentum with the premiere of the highly anticipated biopic about Enzo Ferrari, starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. Driver's presence brings some much-needed star power to a festival that has seen a lack of celebrities due to an ongoing actors strike in Hollywood.

The film, titled Ferrari and directed by Michael Mann, received an exemption from the unions as it was made outside the studio system. This allowed Driver to attend the premiere and showcase his talent in a role that adds to his already busy schedule in Hollywood. He is known for his work in the Star Wars franchise and collaborations with renowned directors such as Ridley Scott, Noah Baumbach, and Spike Lee.

Another film generating buzz at the festival is Dogman, directed by Luc Besson. The movie tells the story of an abused boy who finds solace with a pack of dogs in a mind- and gender-bending narrative. Caleb Landry Jones, who previously won the Best Actor award at Cannes, delivers another outstanding performance in this film.

Besson, hoping for a comeback after the commercial failure of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, is also facing legal battles and has been fighting a rape allegation since 2018. Despite these challenges, he continues to create thought-provoking films.

On Thursday, the world premiere of the Netflix film El Conde, directed by Pablo Larrain, takes place. Larrain, known for his biopics on Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana, offers a unique perspective on Chile's recent past by reimagining dictator Augusto Pinochet as a blood-sucking vampire.

The Venice Film Festival also features other Netflix productions, including a short adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar by Wes Anderson, premiering on Friday, and The Killer by David Fincher on Sunday. As the longest running film festival in the world, Venice has become a prestigious platform for Oscar hopefuls.

However, the ongoing strike by actors and writers in Hollywood, primarily over pay and the threat of AI, has led to the cancellation of several major stars' publicity appearances, including Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper.