Venice Film Festival
Adam Driver expected at the premiere of “Ferrari” in Venice
US actor Adam Driver is expected at the premiere of “Ferrari” in Venice. photo
© Arthur Mola/Invision/AP/dpa
Fewer stars than usual came to the opening of the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday evening because of the Hollywood strike. But Thursday comes up with big celebrities.
A press conference is planned for the afternoon. Driver (39), who is expected in Venice, embodies the legendary car manufacturer and racing driver Enzo Ferrari, who is in a crisis.
Hardly recognizable driver
Penélope Cruz plays Ferrari’s wife Laura. Unlike Driver, she is not scheduled to appear at the festival. “Ferrari” is one of the films that have been granted special permission by the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA to do promotion in Venice despite the Hollywood strike.
The production company Neon released the first trailer for “Ferrari” on Wednesday. With gray hair slicked back, dark glasses and a gray suit, Driver is almost unrecognizable. He embodies Ferrari (1898-1988) in 1957, when the car mogul was almost 60 years old.
The premieres of the films “El Conde” by Pablo Larraín (4.30 p.m.) and “Dogman” by Luc Besson (9.45 p.m.) are also scheduled for today.
Fewer stars in Venice
The Venice Film Festival opened on Wednesday evening. Fewer stars than usual walked the red carpet because of the Hollywood strike. In addition to jury members such as the New Zealand director Jane Campion and the Irish filmmaker Martin McDonagh, there were mainly Italian celebrities to be seen. For example from the opening film “Comandante”, which was shown after the opening ceremony.
The drama by Italian director Edoardo De Angelis tells the story of a heroic Italian submarine commander during World War II. Salvatore Todaro (1908-1942) decided in 1940 during a voyage on the Atlantic to rescue Belgian opponents of the war and bring them onto his ship. Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino plays Todaro in the film.
Demand for rules in dealing with AI
Actress Caterina Murino addressed the strikers in Hollywood as the moderator of the opening ceremony on Wednesday night. “A warm and supportive salute to those who are not here with us to defend the intellectual and economic value of their work and to remind us that artistic creation is the prerogative of talented men and women, not linked to artificial intelligence can be delegated,” she said.
Unionized screenwriters have been on strike in the US since early May. Since mid-July, tens of thousands of members of the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA have also stopped working. They demand better remuneration and rules for dealing with artificial intelligence. Some US stars involved in films at this year’s festival are not coming to Venice.