The Venice Film Festival on Tuesday added two of the season’s most talked‑about titles to its competition slate: an expansive Alex Gibney documentary about Elon Musk and a psychological drama starring Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem.
Gibney’s portrait of Musk runs nearly four hours
Alex Gibney’s film, titled Musk, runs nearly four hours, including an intermission, and aims to chart the reach and consequences of the billionaire’s power and influence. An Oscar‑winning documentarian known for probing figures and institutions — from Enron to Scientology — Gibney told The Associated Press he began the project with admiration and an intent to interview Musk, a request that went unanswered.
“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 director’s investigation is framed as both biography and inquiry, examining how Musk’s actions intersect with business, technology and public life. Musk is slated for North American theatrical release in October.
Star power anchors Zeller’s Bunker
Also premiering in Venice is Bunker, directed by Florian Zeller and starring real‑life couple Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem. The film follows an architect who agrees to construct a survivalist bunker for a billionaire, a decision that reverberates through his marriage. Zeller said he wrote the story specifically for Cruz and Bardem, who have a long screen history together.
“‘Bunker’ touches on several times contemporary themes – fear of the future, ecological threats, rising social inequality, and rampant individualism–but it does so through a deeply personal lens: a couple struggling with each other,” Zeller said in a director’s statement. “I wanted to explore love, fidelity and forgiveness while placing the audience in a position of deliberate ambiguity.”
The cast of Bunker also includes Stephen Graham, Paul Dano and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Searchlight Pictures has scheduled the film for theatrical release early next year.
Venice competition offers awards positioning
Both films are part of Venice’s competition lineup and will be measured against other contenders such as Wild Horse Nine and Ink. The festival remains an early barometer for awards season and industry buzz, and premieres here often shape critical and commercial expectations ahead of wider releases.
Below is a brief overview of the key details announced at Venice:
- Musk — Directed by Alex Gibney; runtime nearly four hours with intermission; North American theaters in October.
- Bunker — Directed by Florian Zeller; stars Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem; Searchlight release early next year; supporting cast includes Stephen Graham, Paul Dano and Patrick Schwarzenegger.
- Both films are playing in competition alongside titles including Wild Horse Nine and Ink.
| Film | Director | Notable stars | Release window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musk | Alex Gibney | — | North America: October |
| Bunker | Florian Zeller | Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem; Stephen Graham, Paul Dano, Patrick Schwarzenegger | Searchlight: early next year |
The Venice screenings will likely shape early critical narratives: Gibney’s film may intensify public scrutiny of Musk’s role in technology and media, while Zeller’s drama foregrounds intimate human conflict set against broader social anxieties. Both projects arrive at a moment when festival exposure can amplify a film’s cultural footprint and awards prospects.
As the festival continues, industry observers will watch how audiences and critics respond to these premieres and whether either title gains momentum ahead of fall theatrical schedules and awards consideration.
