(From left) US actor Patrick Dempsey, Italian actress Daniela Piperno, US director Michael Mann and US actor Adam Driver posing during the photocall of the movie 'Ferrari' presented in competition at the 80th Venice Film Festival on Aug 31 at Venice Lido. — AFP
VENICE: The race for the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion moved into higher gear Thursday with a hotly tipped biopic about sports car supremo Enzo Ferrari starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz.
Driver brings some much-needed stardust to a festival whose red carpet is untypically low on celebrities this year, a casualty of an actors strike in Hollywood.
"Ferrari" from director Michael Mann — nown for highly stylised and glossy thrillers like "Heat" and "Collateral" — was given an exemption by the unions since it was made outside the studio system, allowing Driver to attend the premiere.
The 39-year-old is one of the busiest men in Hollywood, juggling blockbuster roles in the Star Wars franchise alongside work with a who's who of top directors, from Ridley Scott to Noah Baumbach and Spike Lee.
Venice, now in its 80th edition, is the longest running film festival in the world and has become a favoured launchpad for Oscar hopefuls in recent years.
But the strike by actors and writers in Hollywood — primarily over pay and the threat of AI — has caused several major stars including Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper to cancel their publicity appearances.
