Hong Kong, Sept. 9 -- Screenings for Gia Coppola's

, a satire on YouTubers and the often toxic culture of social media influencers, booked out at the Venice film festival before you could say click to subscribe. And for once the festival's hottest ticket did not disappoint, with a mesmerising performance by British actor Andrew Garfield as a charismatic drifter who becomes an online sensation.

Victim to validation

Made from the gut, and using YouTubers' own graphic tricks and emojis - the female lead vomits broken hearts when her boyfriend cheats on her - Coppola said she felt compelled to recount what she was witnessing around her.

"A friend of mine was representing influencers and I just couldn't get it. She said there are so mainst...