Opus – Venera la tua stella: A24 thriller satirizes celebrity worship

Mark Anthony Green's directorial debut 'Opus – Venera la tua stella' premiered at Sundance and arrives in Italian theaters on March 27 via I Wonder Pictures. The A24-produced eccentric thriller targets fame, stardom, fandom, journalists, and the media ecosystem of influencers and paparazzi. Despite mixed international reviews, the film showcases Green's distinctive voice as a former GQ editor. Starring Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich, the narrative centers on Alfred Moretti, a fictional 1990s music icon, exploring how celebrity devotion can degenerate into obsession. Green describes the film as a theory on tribalism, questioning whether idolization ultimately destroys human connections. He draws inspiration from David Bowie, Prince, Spike Lee, Takashi Miike, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Miuccia Prada. The director, a journalist for 13 years, aims to balance critique of media manipulation without condemning journalism outright. The film also reflects Green's background in fashion journalism, infusing the production with the same dedication he observed in creative directors preparing runway shows.