Driver plays the legendary Italian car maker Enzo Ferrari in the biopic, which co-stars Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Patrick Dempsey, and Jack O’Connell.

Under his guidance, Venice has become springboard for the Oscars (Gravity, Birdman, La La Land, Shape of Water) and launchpad for studio blockbusters (Joker, Dune).

“It’s my responsibility. The script was not ready to shoot,” says Mann

The South African filmmaker was able to merge his two passions, filmmaking and cars, to tell the unlikely true story of professional racing driver Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe).