‘Veni Vidi Vici’: How Easy It Is For The Super-Rich To Cheat, Steal, Kill, and Win [Sundance 2024]

Screen shot from the promotional teaser for “Veni Vidi Vici” | Fair use as it is included for the purpose of commentary and criticism

The world’s wealthiest people have never been so rich. Extreme poverty intensifies around the globe as the super-rich grow their wealth and pay less and less taxes. Their moneyed status grants them a lifetime stay-out-of-jail-free card, and their gilded families sail through life reveling in the power that they have to ignore laws and engage in despicable behavior.

“Veni Vidi Vici” is a film that marinates in this reality. It is not so much an “eat the rich” story as it is a “see the rich” tale — see how they cheat, see how they steal, see how they kill, see how they win. Again, and again, and again.

The film from Austria premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Written by Daniel Hoesl and directed by Hoesl and Julia Niemann, the narrative revolves around the Maynard family.

Amon Maynard (Laurence Rupp) is a billionaire entrepreneur and the family patriarch. He regularly goes hunting with his butler Alfred (Markus Schleinzer). Except, Amon does not hunt animals because he is rich enough to shoot people in broad daylight and avoid any consequences.

Also, Amon has a scheme to build what will be Europe’s largest battery factory. He just needs to convince the government authorities to allow him to construct the factory on land that is part of a nature…