Neon has just unveiled the full trailer for director Michael Mann’s long-awaited passion project, “Ferrari,” and it appears to be a riveting dive into the intense and dramatic life of Italian sports car mogul Enzo Ferrari, portrayed by the talented Adam Driver. Mann, known for his exceptional filmmaking skills, seems to have crafted a masterpiece that enthusiasts and cinephiles alike can eagerly anticipate.
The film unfolds against the backdrop of the summer of 1957, revealing a Ferrari grappling with a crisis that transcends the glamour of Formula 1. Bankruptcy looms over the factory he and his wife, Laura, painstakingly built from the ground up a decade earlier. Their tumultuous marriage, scarred by the recent loss of their son, Dino, seems to teeter on the edge. Ferrari’s struggle to acknowledge his son Piero, born to Lina Lardi, adds another layer of complexity. Amidst this turmoil, the drivers, fueled by an unrelenting passion for victory, hurtle towards the perilous 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race across Italy.
Adam Driver is accompanied by a stellar cast, with Penelope Cruz portraying Laura Ferrari and Shailene Woodley as the enigmatic mistress Lina Lardi. The ensemble also features Patrick Dempsey as fellow racer Piero Taruffi, Jack O’Connell as the charismatic Peter Collins, Sarah Gadon as Linda Christian, and Gabriel Leone as the daring driver Alfonso de Portago.
What makes “Ferrari” even more intriguing is Mann’s decision to produce the film independently, free from the constraints of major studios. Proudly distributed by Neon, a stalwart in independent cinema, Mann emphasizes the unconventional nature of the movie, stating, “The origins of the movie and the content of the screenplay and the movie that you saw do not fit into the kind of film that would be embraced by the conventional studio system. It’s truly appropriate that it is an independent film being distributed by Neon, a very independent distributor.”
Adapted by Mann and the late Troy Kennedy-Martin from Brock Yates’s 1991 biography “Enzo Ferrari — The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine,” the film promises to deliver a cinematic experience that transcends the norm. Set for a Christmas 2023 release, “Ferrari” is poised to be a cinematic journey into the tumultuous life of a legendary figure in the world of sports cars. Brace yourself for a thrilling ride and mark your calendars for this much-anticipated release!