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Elon Musk Unveiled – The Tesla Experiment
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Elon Musk Unveiled – The Tesla Experiment
IDFA 2025

Elon Musk Unveiled – The Tesla Experiment

Andreas Pichler
Germany
2025
90 min
World Premiere
Frontlight
Festival history

It’s 2014 and tech billionaire Elon Musk unveils his plans for a self-driving car in front of an enthusiastic audience. What consumers don’t know is that Tesla’s “autopilot” function is far from road-ready, and new owners are being used to improve the software by providing their data.

A fatal accident in Florida triggers a protracted lawsuit to hold Tesla accountable. And it’s not the only incident. Shocking footage from dashcams and security cameras shows the ruthlessness of Tesla cars suddenly braking or accelerating—and the crashes that follow. Then, an employee leaks thousands of documents containing complaints from users.

This investigative film traces Musk’s meteoric rise and his shift toward supporting Donald Trump, who prioritizes entrepreneurial success over safety regulations. Interviews with victims and their relatives, alongside journalists and former Tesla employees, reveal a climate in which an unfinished product is released—using public space as a deadly testing ground.

Credits
Director
Production
    Christian Beetz for Beetz Brothers film production GmbH
    Christian Beetz for Beetz Brothers film production GmbH
Editing
World Sales
    Mediawan Rights
    Mediawan Rights
Screening copy
    Beetz Brothers film production GmbH
    Beetz Brothers film production GmbH