Ferrari cast and filmmakers reveal behind the scenes details during the press conference held at the 2023 New York Film Festival.
Michael Mann’s Ferrari helped in closing off the 61st annual New York Film Festival and in the press conference after the film with director Michael Mann and actors Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz and Gabriel Leone, they discuss the creative process behind the film, how they immersed themselves into the characters and how they narrowed down the story.
For starters Michael Mann talked about how they came up with the story for the film. Of course the film is based on the novel Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine but the novel covers much more time than the film. Michael Mann said that in the original screenplay the film took place over much more time. The screenplay they shot with covered only 3 months of 1957. This is very rare for a biopic as they are essentially supposed to tell a life story, or at least the important elements of the person’s life.
Lead actress Penélope Cruz spoke on this more in regards to her preparation for the role of Laura Ferrari. She stated that there were so many moments of Laura’s life that felt essential to the film that didn’t make the cut.
“There was a moment where she would sleep next to the tires of the car” – Penélope Cruz
Penélope went on to say that though those moments didn’t make the script, they were still so essential to her preparation as the character. Since they film only spanned 3 months she spent much of her time preparing as if she had lived the life of Laura so the 3 months felt like a regular 3 months of her life.
Penélope Cruz and Michael Mann also revealed that in order to prepare for the roles they spent not only a lot of time in Modena where the film takes place and where they filmed but also around people that were around Enzo and Laura. Penélope said they spent time with the family doctor who also gave her and Adam insight to love letters between the two real life people.
The compression of the story/life that Michael Mann told in this film also completely opposes a linear biopic structure. Of course the creatives flip the idea of a biopic on its head with this film but it works with the intended story and message of the film. Michael Mann chose to observe the perfect 3 month period to explore the relationship between Laura and Enzo Ferrari which was the point of the film.
Adam Driver and Michael Mann were asked about the comparison between filmmaking a racing, both of their answers relied heavily on the ambition of being human.
“We try to run faster… further” – Michael Mann
When watching the racing sequences in the film it is evident that the ideas behind racing are pushed faster and further. From the stylized anticipation to the over-done purposely corny moments, the line of tension is always being pushed.
“You have to understand it’s [racing] a myopic, prolonged focus- and how do we duplicate that and playing him of someone who is very much a duck” – Adam Driver
When speaking on his role Adam Driver also compared the craft of turning into Enzo Ferrari to be similar to that of a racecar driver. Describing Enzo as a duck, it is evident through the film that there was a lot of subtlety and focus that went into the performance.
“It’s just an information overload with things that apply to you” – Adam Driver
When talking about how he prepared for his performance Adam talked about how since the cast got so much information about the lives of the people they played, sometimes it got overwhelming. Earlier on Michael Mann had added that they observed Enzo Ferrari’s real study which was untouched since his death. Small details like this make a lot of sense after watching the film because all of the effort is evident.
NEXT: Ferrari Movie Review: Adam Driver Shines In Lead Role
About Ferrari
It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia.
Ferrari Hits Theaters Christmas 2023.
