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The quest for the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival was poised to become more intense with the anticipated biographical film about automotive maestro Enzo Ferrari, featuring the acclaimed Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. The film, directed by Michael Mann, who is celebrated for his meticulously crafted and visually arresting thrillers such as Heat and Collateral, received a dispensation from union constraints due to its independent production, permitting Driver’s esteemed presence at the premiere. 

Adam Driver, aged 39, has an illustrious trajectory in Hollywood, oscillating between high-grossing roles in franchises like Star Wars and collaborations with eminent directors including Ridley Scott, Noah Baumbach and Spike Lee. With his notable cinematic presence, the actor lends a touch of glamour to a festival experiencing an uncharacteristic dearth of celebrities, an unfortunate consequence of the major actors’ strike in Hollywood.

Another film garnering considerable attention is Dogman by renowned French auteur Luc Besson, known for his iconic works The Fifth Element and Leon. This film, intriguingly described as a cerebral exploration of gender and trauma, revolves around a tormented child seeking solace amidst a canine cohort. Caleb Landry Jones, who received accolades for his performance in Nitram two years ago at Cannes, is rumored to deliver yet another riveting act in this film. Besson, at the age of 64, aspires for a resurgence after the unfortunate commercial disappointment of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in 2017, an endeavor that perilously impacted the financial stability of his production firm, EuropaCorp. This setback obliterated the gains accrued from the Taken series and somewhat diminished Besson’s ambition to rival the titans of Hollywood. Additionally, Besson has been navigating a legal quagmire since 2018, with a serious allegation that was formally dismissed by authorities in June.

On Thursday August 31, Netflix showcased a global debut for El Conde by Chilean cineaste Pablo Larrain, who has garnered admiration for his poignant biographical renderings of notable figures such as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie and Princess Diana in Spencer. His most recent oeuvre offers a unique, albeit potentially incisive, perspective on Chile’s tumultuous history, casting the dictator Augusto Pinochet in the role of a vampiric entity. Netflix has had a pronounced presence at the festival with a slew of productions, including Wes Anderson’s concise adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and David Fincher’s The Killer, slated for screenings in the coming days.

The Venice Film Festival, which is celebrating its 80th iteration, holds the distinction of being the most enduring cinematic event globally. It has ascended in recent years to become the premier platform for films with Oscars aspirations. However, the ongoing strike by Hollywood actors and writers—predominantly over remuneration and emerging technological challenges—has led to the regrettable absence of luminaries such as Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper from promotional events.

With AFP.