The packed house at the Sala Grande Theatre showered Driver and Mann with 6-minute-standing ovation.
Driver fought back tears at the tragic conclusion of the film. As he stayed in his seat, Mann helped him up to receive the applause for the Italian-set film.
“Ferrari” has been the big ticket of Venice, and the premiere finally brought star power to the Lido.
Driver, who plays racecar driver Enzo Ferrari in the film, approached crowds of screaming fans, scribbling out a few autographs. These groupies lined up for hours in the Italian sun to catch a glimpse of the actor best known for playing Kylo Ren in Star Wars.
Patrick Dempsey also attended the premiere, drawing screams from fans who asked him to sign pictures and “Grey’s Anatomy” posters.
While Venice usually leads with glamour and A-list talent, this year’s festival lost a roster of huge stars — including Zendaya, Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender — due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Even Penélope Cruz, who plays Laura Ferrari in Mann’s film, decided to skip out on Venice due to the optics of looking like she crossed the picket line.
The cast of Ferrari is allowed to do press since itis an indie movie from distributor Neon, but Driver was the only big star in attendance.
Based on the biography “Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine” by Brock Yates, Mann’s absorbingly told Ferrari is set during the summer of 1957.
In that crucial season, the eponymous racer and entrepreneur (Driver) must overcome threats of bankruptcy, divorce and the death of his son to save his business. Ferrari bets all on the Mile Miglia, a 1,000 mile-race across Italy.
The supporting cast includes Shailene Woodley, Gabriel Leone, Sarah Gadon, Jack O’Connell, Patrick Dempsey and Giuseppe Bonifati. Mann shot the film on location in Ferrari’s hometown of Modena.
Driver made headlines at the film’s press conference for proudly defending the SAG-AFTRA waivers that allowed him to attend the festival and promote the film.
“Why is it that a smaller distribution company like Neon and STX International can meet the dream demands of what SAG is asking for — this is pre-negotiations — the dream version of SAG’s wishlist, but a big company like Netflix and Amazon can’t?” Driver asked the press. “And every time people from SAG go and support a movie that has met the terms of the interim agreement, it just makes it more obvious that these people are willing to support the people that they collaborate with, and the others are not.”
Ferrari will open in theaters December 25 from Neon.
It will next serve as the closing night selection of the 2023 New York Film Fest.
