At the new Everyman cinema in west London, Luca: Seeing Red premiered in Ferrari style — with classic cars, jazz, cocktails, and the legendary Luca di Montezemolo himself reflecting on a life lived at full speed.
There was an Italian atmosphere at Everyman cinema at London’s The Whiteley building last night, ahead of the premiere for Luca: Seeing Red
Directed by Manish Pandey, the documentary tells the story of one of Italy’s most successful, and uniquely private, businessmen: Luca di Montezomolo, who became motorcar royalty for making Ferrari the powerhouse of Formula 1 in the 1970s and 80s. We join ex-Top Gear host and journalist Chris Harris, as he spends a week with Luca, revealing more about a figure who, in many ways, embodies a lost period of Italian la dolce vita.
That evening in west London, the same Italian la dolce vita arrived at the new Everyman at The Whiteley, housed in the famous – and freshly restored – Whiteley Apartment Complex. It’s one of the most anticipated cinema openings in the city, and features five screens with plush velvet sofa seating, state-of-the-art laser projection and immersive surround sound – the perfect setting for a film about di Montezomolo’s grand life. The team at the cinema also turned the theatre “Ferrari Red” to commemorate the occasion, with nods to the prancing pony throughout.
As the sun set in west London, high-profile guests — former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, Aston Martin head Lawrence Stroll, members of the Ferragamo family and businessman Bob Manoukian among them — arrived dressed in their finest for the occasion, serenaded by a jazz band. On either side of the red carpet, we also passed some of the brand’s most iconic cars from Luca’s time with Ferrari: Testa Rossas, classic Lancia racing cars, and – our favourite – a yellow Berlinetta Boxer.
Once inside, we were curious to explore Everyman’s theatre and bar area. Delightful cocktails were provided by FGTTN, Ashley Palmer Watts’ – once at Heston Blumenthal’s the Fat Duck – new brand, and we were also handed delicious branded donuts and other canapes while we mooched among the starry guests.
Even Luca himself was surprised at the space’s transformation. “I thought I was coming to a nightclub,” he joked with the audience, as he and Harris presented the film on stage.
Now to the film. Luca: Seeing Red was a stylish and operatic crowd-pleaser – and is certainly not just for Ferrari aficionados. Fans of dramas like Succession will enjoy the gripping twist-and-turns, triumphs and tragedies that unfold during Luca’s decades of work at the heights of Italian business and sport. So far, it has sold out across the 30 Everyman locations it is screening in.
A lot of this is thanks to Pandey’s excellent filmmaking, which brings us to the heart of this world. Images of a lonely Ferrari sitting in front of a large Bologna cathedral, or at the beautiful, ancient Villa Adriana, spell the type of opulence and power his subject is used to. And yet – both in the film and in person – Luca is constantly charming, down-to-earth and communicates with Chris Harris as a friend does. Indeed, their chemistry is one of the best things about the documentary, as it sort of unfolds into a buddy drama story.
“I read Chris’s article against Ferrari making an SUV and I’ve always respected his dignity as a journalist,” Luca told me privately, the day before the premiere. “One of my conditions was to have Chris Harris, and no one else, between us. And, you know, as you see in the film, he starts to relax and enjoy Italian life.”
Luca’s life in business was a multi-faceted one. Not only does Harris uncover his work returning Ferrari to the peak of F1, but his experiences with Cinzano, the Italian football team, and Azzurra, a boating race so famous in Italy, people would ask his mother for news at the local market. “It’s 75% Ferrari. That was one of the most important parts of my life. But I’m glad it discusses so many of the other projects I’m incredibly proud of.”
The film was first devised when Luca was approached by a large American publisher to write a book about his life. “I was impressed. He came to meet me in Rome and he had a document with every single detail of my life since I was a boy. I said thank you, but I’m too young,” he laughs. But coincidentally, a few months later Bernie Ecclestone asked him to meet Manish, who had an idea for a film.
Racing driver Niki Lauda and Luca di Montezemolo
“It was fantastic to me to watch it back now,” he continued. “They found so many images of my life, and I have to say I shed a small tear – I was emotional. My memory returned. I remembered the stories again. Some of them with Niki Lauda, who was one of my best friends even up until he passed away. Others with Michael Schumacher or the three tenors performing at Caracalla. There is even rare footage of Enzo Ferrari speaking in the film.”
Would he return to Ferrari again? “Tonight,” he tells me, immediately. “Not tomorrow. I would love to see leadership, strong decisions, and big personalities again making beautiful cars. That’s the priority.”
By the time the credits rolled, he was joined for a Q&A by Harris and Pandey, who expressed his admiration for Luca (both he and Harris presented the film at Everyman’s four screens).
“I really care what people are going to think about the film,” Luca admitted to me. “On reflection, I was surprised I did so many things, at so many different moments.”
There’s only thing he would do differently, he admitted, with a grin – the glamorous premiere now behind him. “It is the end. I prefer to look ahead… I’m already thinking about a sequel.”
