Benny Safdie Didn’t Mention Josh Safdie in First Solo Feature Win

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When winning a prestigious award like the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival, it’s common to get a bit overwhelmed and possibly miss mentioning a few names in your acceptance speech. However, it was conspicuous that Benny Safdie did not acknowledge his brother, Josh Safdie, with whom he often co-directs, during the Venice Closing Ceremony. During his speech on stage, the director of “The Smashing Machine” thanked A24, the film’s producers, Mark Kerr (who the film is based on), and stars Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson, whom he referred to as “my friend, my brother, and partner.” After expressing gratitude to his film crew, Benny went on to thank his family members, including his mother, stepfather, wife Ava, and two sons. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in making a film and cited a quote from The Band’s Rick Danko: “It’s an honor to play together and share those moments.” This sentiment, according to Benny, encapsulates how he feels about collaborating on a movie – they are playing, listening, and learning, striving to grow better together.

2024 marked the end of Benny and Josh’s collaborative journey in co-directing movies as they decided to pursue individual creative paths. As Benny shared with Variety, “This is a natural evolution of our separate aspirations.” He is now embarking on solo directorial ventures, eager to delve into projects that capture his unique interests. He desires the independence that will enrich his life at this moment. Both brothers have remained faithful to their pledge, with Benny premiering his standalone debut, The Smashing Machine, which recently won an award, and Josh set to release his Christmas production, Marty Supreme. For those yearning for a Safdie brothers reunion, hang on tight! History has shown that many creative sibling pairs have parted ways only to reunite later, so keep hope alive with your own solo projects first.

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2025-09-07 00:53