Inside Mel Gibson's astonishing comeback: Disgraced star's new film Hacksaw Ridge generates Oscar buzz, 10-minute standing ovation and shining reviews after Venice premiere 

• e-mail

He's become more famous for his disgraceful behaviour than he has for his work.

But now Mel Gibson is set to make an astonishing comeback with his new film Hacksaw Ridge, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday. 

The 60-year-old not only has not only made anti-Semitic, racist, homophobic and sexist comments, but also pleaded no contest to battering former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva in 2011.

Scroll down for video 

Astonishing comeback: Mel Gibson is tipped for Oscar glory with his new film Hacksaw Ridge, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday

He has now been tipped for a Best Director Oscar after his latest movie received shining reviews from critics.

World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge, which hits cinemas in the US on November 4, made its debut out of competition at the festival, and was met with a 10-minute standing ovation from the audience.

According to Deadline, Mel and the movie's stars in attendance (Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving and Luke Bracey) were asked to go into the crowd six minutes into their ovation.

The movie is based on the true story of Desmond T. Doss, played by Andrew Garfield, who became the first conscientious objector in American history to receive the Medal of Honor.

True story: The movie sees Andrew Garfield portray Desmond T. Doss, who saved 75 men during World War II without firing a gun 

Without firing a gun, Christian pacifist Doss saved 75 men during World War II in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. 

Speaking about the real-life story behind the film, Mel said last year: 'It's about a man who wouldn't touch a weapon and wanted to be part of saving lives in the worst place on earth.

'I mean Okinawa was a horrific place... there were over 300,000 casualties, mostly civilian.' 

This is Mel's first time behind the camera since 2006's Apocalypto. 

Triumphant: The disgraced 60-year-old was seen leaving his Venice hotel on Monday, the morning after the premiere 

His other directorial credits include Braveheart, The Passion Of The Christ and The Man Without A Face.

Hacksaw Ridge's success at Venice has also been matched by its rave reviews from critics.

The Guardian's Andrew Pulver pointed out that while the movie does not excuse Mel's abhorrent behaviour, it 'could not be more perfect' as a film.

'As repellent a figure as many may still find Gibson, I have to report he's absolutely hit Hacksaw Ridge out of the park,' the film editor wrote. 

Rave reviews: The film has been praised by critics and received a 10-minute standing ovation after its world debut

'Gibson is a man looking for redemption, and in this redemptive vision he may just have found it.' 

The view was echoed by The Telegraph in Britain, which shared: 'Hacksaw Ridge is a fantastically moving and bruising war film that hits you like a raw topside of beef in the face – a kind of primary-coloured Guernica that flourishes on a big screen with a crowd.' 

And The Hollywood Reporter said Mel 'proves himself a muscular storyteller who knows exactly how to raise a pulse, heighten emotion and build intensity to explosive peaks' with his latest venture. 

The Lethal Weapon star penned an apology letter to the Jewish community after making anti-Semitic comments to a policeman in 2006 when he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

Back behind the camera: This is Mel's first time directing since 2006's Apocalypto

Mel had said, according to the police report: 'F**king Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.'

In his letter to the Anti-Defamation League, he said: 'There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of Anti-Semitic remark.

'I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge.'

Leading man: Andrew was also spotted leaving the Hotel Danieli with the director on Monday

Mel however did not say sorry for derogatory comments he made about gay people in an interview with Spanish newspaper El País in 1991, telling Playboy in 1995 that he will 'apologise when hell freezes over'.

A few years later, he admitted: 'I shouldn't have said it, but I was tickling a bit of vodka during that interview, and the quote came back to bite me on the a**.'

In 2010, during a recorded phone call between Mel and then-girlfriend Oksana, the actor could be heard using the N-word, and telling Oksana that if she were to be 'raped' it would be her fault. 

Coming soon: Hacksaw Ridge will hit cinemas in the US on November 4