Several high-profile films premiered Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival including a documentary on Elon Musk a psychological thriller starring Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem and a new drama from Casey Affleck.
Running nearly four hours with an intermission, "Musk" offers a deep look at the world's richest man also examining the extent of his power and influence. Director Alex Gibney, an Oscar winner known for exposing powerful figures and institutions including Enron, Elizabeth Holmes and Scientology said he began the project as an admirer also hoping Musk would agree to an interview.
Musk ultimately declined. Gibney said that pursuing the facts independently led him somewhere unexpected that a picture challenged the popular image of Musk as a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci.
"Musk" is set to release in North American theaters this October.
The festival's opening day also featured a psychological thriller pairing Spanish stars Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem alongside a drama led by Casey Affleck adding star power to an already anticipated lineup this year.
With its mix of investigative documentary filmmaking and star-driven dramas, Venice continues to set the tone for the global awards season also drawing attention from critics and audiences worldwide ahead of the festival's remaining screenings and premieres in the days to come.
