SAG-AFTRA have named Neon’s Michael Mann-directed Ferrari as one of its latest recipients of an interim agreement for publicity, allowing the movie’s cast including Adam Driver and Penélope Cruz to publicise the feature at its Venice Film Festival world premiere, closing night at the New York Film Festival and other events.
Similar to indie studio A24, Neon is a non-AMPTP company and has encountered no hurdles in nabbing SAG-AFTRA interim agreements.
There are several applications of SAG-AFTRA interim agreements for indie features, addressing everything from casting to production and promotion.
Ferrari is not the first major title to benefit in the latter area, joining a list that includes Luc Besson’s DogMan and Lily Gladstone-led The Unknown Country. But it’s certainly the starriest with the option to promote at the moment, boasting an ensemble cast that also includes Shailene Woodley, Patrick Dempsey, Jack O’Connell and Gabriel Leone, among others. It’s still early, however, and it remains to be seen whether stars will come out in support of the pic even with the SAG-AFTRA waiver in hand. As has proven the case on the production side with titles like the MRC pic G20to star Viola Davis, there’s the possibility talent may opt out of exercising rights granted to them by their guild, simply due to optics.
Slated for release by Neon on Christmas Day, the latest feature from Mann is set in 1957, and follows Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura (Cruz), built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage is further fractured with grief for their only son. Ferrari struggles with the acknowledgement of another with Lina Lardi. His drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge. All their fates converge in one race, the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia.
Ferrari is expected to be released on Christmas Day.
