With a screenplay by Troy Kennedy Martin, 'Ferrari' has been adapted from the 1991 biography 'Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine' by motorsport journalist Brock Yates.
The Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) has revealed that this year’s closing night film will be Ferrari, a new biopic directed by Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, and Patrick Dempsey. The festival has also announced the International Spectacular line-up for its third edition, showcasing highly anticipated films from around the globe.
The festival said that the section “showcases some of the most highly anticipated and talked about films of the year, screened for the first time in the Arab world.”
The film festival is scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 9, 2023.
Ferrari is set in the summer of 1957, portraying the crisis faced by ex-racer Enzo Ferrari amid the spectacle of Formula 1. Battling bankruptcy and coping with the loss of his son, Ferrari’s journey unfolds against the treacherous backdrop of the 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia. The screenplay, adapted from the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine, will make its MENA Premiere at the RedSeaIFF on Thursday, December 7.
Speaking about the film, Mohammed Al-Turki, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “It is a great honour to announce that our Closing Night Gala will be one of this year’s most anticipated films. Ferrari by legendary director Michael Mann. This exhilarating film has been close to the festival’s ‘heart’, as it has been supported by our Red Sea International Film Financing; a vehicle for us to champion acclaimed storytellers and create the opportunity for cultural exchange. Michael Mann’s powerful film shows true craftsmanship and empathy for the ambitious genius behind one of the world’s most desired works of design.”
Kaleem Aftab, Director of International Programming for the Red Sea International Film Festival, added: “Ferrari is Michael Mann in overdrive. It’s a story about passion, love, and business where the cars are as beautiful as the film – which we loved from the moment we first saw it! This visually rich film serves as an exhilarating close to both this year’s festival and the International Strand, for which we have gathered up the most exciting, groundbreaking and moving features from this year’s festival circuit to bring to audiences at the Red Sea in Jeddah, where these titles will celebrate their MENA premieres. We are honoured to have the work of so many iconic filmmakers, giving us new perspectives on race, belonging, identity and family.”
The International Spectacular section of the festival introduces firsts of new cinema, including Sofia Coppola’s biopic Priscilla, Ava Duvernay’s drama Origin, and John Woo’s action film Silent Night. The section also features notable works like Bernadette (The President’s Wife) starring Catherine Deneuve and Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film The Boy and the Heron.
