Elon Musk has expressed strong discontent towards filmmaker Alex Gibney, who recently unveiled a four-hour documentary chronicling Musk’s life and impact. Musk characterized Gibney as a “bitter old man” lacking integrity.
Gibney, known for his documentaries on significant topics such as the Enron scandal, WikiLeaks, and Vladimir Putin, debuted his film on Musk at this week’s Venice Film Festival. He voiced concerns about Musk, labeling him as “extremely dangerous.”
In a series of posts on X, the platform Musk acquired for $44 billion in 2022, the entrepreneur criticized the documentary, referring to it as a “hit piece that misses” the mark. He further described the lengthy runtime as making the film “as boring af,” emphasizing its critical stance toward him.
Additionally, Musk appeared to engage in conspiracy theories by sharing an illustration depicting the Democratic Party as a puppet master controlling another puppet labeled “Team Soros,” referencing billionaire philanthropist George Soros, known for funding progressive initiatives. In this depiction, the “Gibney” puppet is shown as being manipulated by “Team Soros,” while controlling “Hollywood.” Musk commented on the image, stating it was “Accurate.”
When a supporter remarked they were unfamiliar with Gibney prior to the documentary, Musk responded by calling it “a psy op,” implying it was a psychological operation aimed at shaping public perception.
Musk explicitly criticized Gibney, claiming, “Gibney has zero integrity. Zero,” and added, “Fortunately, his movies are boring af … It’s a hit piece that misses, and makes the fatal sin of being boring for 4 hours.” He accused Gibney of simply gathering opinions from individuals with grudges or misunderstandings about him, declaring, “He’s a bitter old man who lost the plot long ago,” and concluded by saying, “Dogshit is worth more respect than Gibney.”
The documentary has sparked considerable debate, particularly regarding assertions made by individuals featured in the film. Musk specifically rejected a claim from his former partner, Ashley St Clair, that he offered her $40 million to sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding their relationship. He asserted, “She was never offered that and has a history of making false claims.”
Musk also supported comments made by podcaster Katie Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller, a prominent advisor to Donald Trump and former communications director for Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Miller criticized the film for excluding Musk’s friends and supporters, stating, “It simply can’t be ‘definitive’ if the people who were present didn’t participate,” and labeled the film a “hit job by a self-obsessed Hollywood director.”
Musk’s impact on public discourse via X is resonating on a global scale. He has frequently weighed in on the immigration debate in the UK and recently celebrated the successful performance of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections.
During a press conference in Venice, Gibney discussed the apprehension he felt from people he approached for the documentary, suggesting that Musk’s challenging upbringing in South Africa could explain his current behavior. “He had a childhood that was very difficult and traumatic,” Gibney noted. “To some extent, he’s now playing out that trauma on the rest of us, if I were to psychoanalyze the situation.”
