Entertainment
New Venice Documentary Probes Elon Musk's Contradictions and Global Influence
By AFP
A nearly four-hour documentary examining Elon Musk premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday, offering a critical look at the billionaire's vast influence across business, politics, and space exploration. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, the film titled "Musk" attempts to expose what Gibney describes as the "unreality" surrounding the narrative of the world's richest man.
Musk has publicly stated ambitions including colonizing Mars, shifting the world toward sustainable energy, and defending free speech. However, Gibney's documentary seeks to challenge this image, portraying Musk as a modern iteration of a familiar archetype. "His story turns out to be the story of the confidence man, the stock pumper," Gibney said, comparing Musk to previous subjects of his work, including Enron executives and former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes.
Gibney argues that Musk's originally admirable goals have since become corrupted by what he calls "noble cause corruption" — the belief that pursuing a righteous mission justifies any means necessary. The director connected this mindset to Musk's political involvement, including his support for Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The documentary traces Musk's trajectory from his early Silicon Valley ventures through his high-profile work at SpaceX and Tesla, up to his more recent alignment with right-wing political figures worldwide. It highlights the intense devotion of his supporters, contrasted with growing criticism over broken promises — including safety issues linked to Tesla's Autopilot technology that have resulted in deaths, and cuts made through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that reportedly ended various life-saving programs globally.
When Gibney first approached Musk about participating in the project, Musk dismissed it as a "hit piece" without having seen any footage.
The film also explores Musk's personal life, noting he has fathered at least 14 children with multiple women. His first wife, Justine Musk, remarked that the growing number of children resembles "an assembly line."
Ashley St. Clair, a former Musk girlfriend and one-time MAGA-aligned influencer who shares a child with him, revealed in the documentary that she declined a $40 million non-disclosure agreement offered after their relationship ended. St. Clair expressed regret over her past involvement in promoting right-wing political causes, attributing some of her decisions to naivety at the time. She said she hopes that speaking out now might help counter the effects of her earlier involvement.
St. Clair further accused Musk of stirring division through his provocative statements on X, warning that his rhetoric could have serious consequences if left unchecked.
Gibney, who won an Academy Award in 2008 for "Taxi to the Dark Side," emphasized that the documentary is not solely about Musk but about the broader societal structures that enable figures like him to accumulate significant power. "We've allowed them to create a tremendous amount of power," he said, referring to Musk and other technology industry leaders.