The world premiere of Driven directed by Nick Hamm (The Journey, Killing Bono) is the closing film, Out of Competition, of the 75th Venice International Film Festival on Saturday, September 8th in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema at the Lido di Venezia.
Inspired by true events, Driven is a wickedly comedic look at a bromance gone bad. Set in the opulence of early 1980s California, the story follows the meteoric rise of John DeLorean, and his iconic DeLorean Motor Company, through his friendship with charming ex-con turned FBI informant, Jim Hoffman.
The cast of Driven is led by Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hobbit) as motoring engineer and designer John DeLorean, Jason Sudeikis (Downsizing), as Jim Hoffman, DeLorean’s friend and con-man tuned FBI informant, Judy Greer (Ant-Man) as Hoffman’s strong-willed wife Ellen and Corey Stoll (House of Cards, Midnight in Paris) as ambitious FBI agent Benedict Tissa.
Nick Hamm declared: “Venice is an inspiring festival with an incredible audience. I am both honoured and delighted to be invited back to share this crazy, untold story.”
The 75th Venice International Film Festival directed by Alberto Barbera and organized by the Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta, will take place August 29 to September 8, 2018.
Driven
It’s 1974 and Jim Hoffman (Jason Sudeikis) is your average family man—father of two, hard-working pilot, doting husband to Ellen (Judy Greer). Oh, he’s also an occasional drug smuggler. And when Jim is caught using his family vacation to smuggle cocaine into the US, ambitious FBI agent Benedict J. Tisa (Corey Stoll) sees an opportunity to earn a major victory for the Bureau by using Jim to entrap his elusive supplier.
Starting over in an affluent San Diego neighbourhood on the government’s payroll, Jim’s duties as a confidential informant get side-tracked when he befriends his famous neighbour, motoring engineer and designer John DeLorean (Lee Pace). Bedazzled by DeLorean’s charm and vision, Jim soon finds himself in DeLorean’s inner circle at the launch of a new enterprise that promises to revolutionize the American motor industry.
However, when DeLorean’s dream hits the buffers with his company set to go belly-up, and Tisa’s nowhere near getting his guy, Jim suddenly finds himself caught between two desperate men who are willing to do anything to succeed.
Nick Hamm
Nick Hamm is a BAFTA award-winning director and producer whose career extends across feature films, television, and theatre.
Hamm began his career as resident director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, focusing on both Shakespeare and contemporary plays before moving into film.
After winning a BAFTA for the Chekhov adaptation THE HARMFULNESS OF TOBACCO, starring Edward Fox, Hamm went on to direct the BBC hit series PLAY ON ONE, starring Catherine Zeta- Jones and Colin Firth; and ITV’s highly acclaimed RIK MAYALL PRESENTS, starring Helena Bonham Carter.
Hamm’s feature films include: TALK OF ANGELS for Miramax, starring Vincent Perez and Polly Walker; the romantic comedy THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU for Film Four/ Miramax written by Peter Morgan and starring Joseph Fiennes and Rufus Sewell; the cult movie hit THE HOLE starring Thora Birch and Keira Knightley for Pathé; and the psychological horror film, GODSEND, starring Robert De Niro for Lionsgate Films.
In 2010, Hamm directed Paramount Pictures’ indie hit KILLING BONO, starring Ben Barnes, Robert Sheehan, Krysten Ritter and Pete Postlethwaite. Hamm then went on to direct and produce DirecTV and EOne’s US crime thriller ROGUE, starring Thandie Newton, and AT&T’s highly acclaimed half-hour ensemble drama series, FULL CIRCLE, created by Neil LaBute.
Returning to film in 2016, Hamm directed THE JOURNEY, an official selection for the 73rd Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. IM Global’s dramatization of Northern Ireland’s Peace process premiered in 2017, earning acclaim for Timothy Spall’s take on Ian Paisley, and an IFTA award for Colm Meaney’s lead performance as Martin McGuiness.
In fall of 2017, Hamm directed DRIVEN—the story of FBI informant, Jim Hoffman, and celebrity CEO John DeLorean’s friendship during the rise and fall of his auto empire, resulting in the most infamous scandal of its time. DRIVEN stars Jason Sudeikis, Lee Pace, Judy Greer and Corey Stoll.
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