Russell Crowe Wipes Away Tears at Venice Premiere of Music Documentary ‘What Love Builds’ as Fans Yell ‘We Love You!’

Russell Crowe has never hidden his passion for music, even as his acting career soared. That long-standing ambition took center stage on Friday at the Venice Film Festival, where the actor unveiled "What Love Builds," a documentary he directed himself about his lesser-known musical pursuits. The film screened out of competition. Crowe, who was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and moved to Australia as a child, has been playing music since his teenage years, long before Hollywood fame.

Inside the Sala Darsena, the atmosphere was electric well before the lights dimmed. "We love you Russell Crowe!" a fan called out as the film began. Mixing live concert footage with Crowe's personal reflections on both acting and music, the documentary drew applause and cheers more typical of a rock show than a cinema. At the end, the audience gave a brief but warm ovation, cut short when Crowe, visibly wiping away tears, chose to slip out quietly. The Sala Darsena, one of the main venues at the Venice Film Festival, has hosted premieres of major works by directors such as Roman Polanski and Sofia Coppola.

Assembled from 15 years of concert recordings, archival material, and interviews, the project marks Crowe's own directorial effort. Music has always run parallel to his film work: the New Zealand-born star has fronted bands including 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, the Ordinary Fear of God, and most recently Indoor Garden Party. A synopsis calls the film "revealing and deeply personal," showing how music and acting are "intrinsic and interconnected through storytelling and performance," and describes it as "a rare, deep dive into the inspirations behind this legendary and enigmatic artist." According to music journalist Sarah Kendrick, "Crowe's commitment to his bands over decades shows a genuine artistic hunger that goes far beyond a celebrity side project."

Now 62, Crowe first gained global attention in the late '90s with "L.A. Confidential" and "The Insider," then won the best actor Oscar for Ridley Scott's 2000 epic "Gladiator." He made his directorial debut with 2014's "The Water Diviner" and later directed 2022's "Poker Face," starring Liam Hemsworth and RZA. More recently, he appeared in last year's acclaimed "Nuremberg" as Nazi Hermann Göring, and in the historical drama "The Weight" alongside Ethan Hawke, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year. The Venice Film Festival, founded in 1932, is the world's oldest film festival and part of the Venice Biennale.