Dwayne Johnson’s 'The Smashing Machine' makes waves at Venice Film Festival

Two very different portraits of resilience lit up the Venice Film Festival on Monday. Benny Safdie's 'The Smashing Machine' made its world premiere to a thunderous over 15-minute ovation, with Dwayne Johnson making his festival debut as UFC legend Mark Kerr. The longest standing ovation in the festival so far moved the actor to tears.  

Co-starring Emily Blunt, explores Kerr's battles with addiction, love and friendship at the height of his career. Critics praised Johnson's transformative performance, with Deadline hailing his "remarkable work" beneath Kazu Hiru's prosthetics. 

Meanwhile, Amanda Seyfried stunned audiences in Mona Fastvold's 'The Testament of Ann Lee', a musical-infused biopic of the 18th-century Shaker leader. 

Seyfried embraced the role's trance-like physicality, while Fastvold highlighted the rarity of female-driven epics. The film, featuring ritual songs and choreography, competes for the Golden Lion. 

Together, the premieres underscored Venice's reputation for pairing bold performances with unconventional storytelling.