Venice Showcases Musk Doc, Cruz-Bardem Thriller, and Affleck Drama

The Venice Film Festival is hosting a wave of high-profile premieres on Tuesday, featuring an in-depth documentary on Elon Musk, a psychological thriller with real-life couple Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, and a new directorial effort from Casey Affleck.

Alex Gibney's nearly four-hour documentary, titled "Musk," includes an intermission and examines the world's richest man while probing the extent of his power and influence. Gibney, an Oscar-winning filmmaker known for profiles of Enron, Elizabeth Holmes, and Scientology, admitted he initially admired Musk and hoped for an interview. "Ultimately he didn't want to talk to me," Gibney said. "Then you start digging into the facts and you follow them where they lead. And where they led for me was to a place that upended the myth, I would say, of Elon Musk as a kind of modern Leonardo da Vinci." The film is slated for North American theatrical release in October.

Cruz and Bardem bring star power to the Lido with "Bunker," directed by Florian Zeller. The story follows an architect who agrees to build a survivalist bunker for a billionaire, a decision that strains his marriage. Zeller wrote the film specifically for the couple, who have appeared together since "Jamón Jamón." In his director's statement, Zeller noted the film tackles contemporary anxieties—fear of the future, ecological threats, social inequality, and rampant individualism—through a deeply personal lens of a couple in conflict. He aimed to explore love, fidelity, and forgiveness while keeping the audience in deliberate ambiguity. The cast also includes Stephen Graham, Paul Dano, and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Searchlight Pictures will release the film in theaters early next year. "Bunker" is among the competition titles vying for the Golden Lion, alongside "Wild Horse Nine" and "Ink," and is expected to have a qualifying run in 2026. Zeller previously won an Oscar for the screenplay of "The Father," which earned Anthony Hopkins a best actor award.

Casey Affleck's "Company," which he directed and co-wrote, is also debuting in competition. Set in winter 1975, the film centers on a mysterious woman who disrupts a holiday gathering, opening a moral debate. Affleck described it as a meditation on grief and compassion, reflecting on how the ledger of kindness is never balanced by the world but by what one contributes. The film stars Nick Nolte and Ben Mendelsohn, and features Affleck's children, Atticus and Indiana. It is currently seeking distribution.

The jury, led by Maggie Gyllenhaal, will announce winners on Saturday.