Benny Safdie

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Benny Safdie
Benny Safdie (2010).png
Safdie in 2010
Born
Benjamin Safdie

(1986-02-24) February 24, 1986 (age 38)
New York City, U.S.
Education Boston University
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, actor, film editor
Years active2007–present
Spouse
Ava Francis
(m. 2013)
Children2
Relatives

Benjamin Safdie (born February 24, 1986) [1] is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and film editor best known for working with his older brother Josh as a filmmaker. His directorial works include Heaven Knows What (2014), Good Time (2017), and Uncut Gems (2019). Transitioning towards acting, Safdie was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his role in Good Time and has since taken on roles in films such as Licorice Pizza (2021), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. and Oppenheimer (both 2023). He co-created, co-wrote and starred in the television show The Curse (2023).

Contents

Early life

Safdie was born to Amy and Alberto Safdie; of Syrian Jewish descent and was raised in New York. [2] He and brother Josh divided their childhood living between their father in Queens and their mother and stepfather in Manhattan upon their parents' divorce. [2] He attended Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School [2] and graduated from the Boston University College of Communication in 2008.

Career

Filmmaker

The Safdies' first feature was the 2009 film Daddy Longlegs , which they also wrote the screenplay and edited together. [3] The film was showcased in the Directors' Fortnight at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. [4] In 2013, they debuted the documentary film Lenny Cooke at the Tribeca Film Festival, [5] a documentary they became attached to after Cooke approached them to review the footage. [6] In 2014, the pair premiered their next film Heaven Knows What at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. [7] In February 2016, the brothers began filming their crime thriller film Good Time . which Benny starred in alongside Robert Pattinson, in New York City. [8] It premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. [9] Benny, for his performance, was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. [10]

Uncut Gems , Josh and Benny's next film, starred Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield and Julia Fox and was executive produced by Martin Scorsese. [11] The brothers won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director, and Benny shared the Independent Spirit Award for Best Editing with Ronald Bronstein, with whom he co-edited with on all the Safdie brother films. [12]

Safdie and Nathan Fielder co-created the Showtime series The Curse , which premiered in November 2023. [13]

Acting roles

In 2017, Safdie began taking on performances not directed by himself or Josh, appearing in a role in the film Person to Person . [14] In 2020, he appeared in Pieces of a Woman , [15] and in 2021 had a large supporting role in the Paul Thomas Anderson film Licorice Pizza . [16]

In 2022, Safdie appeared in Claire Denis' romantic thriller Stars at Noon , [17] and as Nari in the Disney+ miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi . [18] In 2023, he starred in the film adaptation Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. , [19] and appears as Edward Teller in Oppenheimer , directed by Christopher Nolan. [20]

Personal life

Safdie is Jewish. His father is of Sephardic-Jewish and Syrian-Jewish descent, [2] [21] [22] [23] and his mother is of Russian-Jewish descent. [24] His uncle is architect Moshe Safdie. His cousin is playwright Oren Safdie. [25]

He is married to Ava Safdie ( née Rawski), with whom he has two sons, Cosmo and Murray James. [26]

Filmography

As Safdie brothers

YearTitle Director Writer Editor Notes
2006If You See Something, Say SomethingNoYesNoshort film
The Ralph Handel StoryYesNoYesshort film
Life with Zach MuldenYesYesYesshort film
2008 The Pleasure of Being Robbed NoNoYes
There's Nothing You Can DoYesYesYesshort film
John's Lonely Trip to Coney IslandYesNoYesshort film
2009 Daddy Longlegs YesYesYes
2010John's GoneYesYesYesShort film; also producer
2013 Lenny Cooke YesNoYes
2014 Heaven Knows What YesNoYes
2017 Good Time YesNoYes
2019 Uncut Gems YesYesYes
2020Goldman v SilvermanYesYesNoshort film
Question & AnswerYesYesYesshort film
2022 Funny Pages NoNoNoproducer

Benny Safdie only

YearTitle Director Writer Editor Notes
2007What To Do When ChokingYesNoYesShort film
2008The Story of Charles RiverbankYesYesYesShort film
The Acquaintances of a Lonely JohnYesYesYesShort film; also producer
TBAThe Smashing MachineYesYesTBA [27]

As actor

Film

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
2017 Person to Person EugeneDustin Guy Defa
Good Time Nick Nikas Safdie brothers
2020 Pieces of a Woman Chris Kornél Mundruczó
2021 Licorice Pizza Joel Wachs Paul Thomas Anderson
2022 Stars at Noon CIA Man Claire Denis
2023 Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Herb Simon Kelly Fremon Craig
Oppenheimer Edward Teller Christopher Nolan

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016 Togetherness Craddock Brother #21 episode
2022 Obi-Wan Kenobi NariMiniseries, 1 episode
2023 The Curse Dougie SchecterMain role; also co-creator and writer

Awards and nominations

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<i>Good Time</i> (film) 2017 film by the Safdie brothers

Good Time is a 2017 American crime-thriller film directed by Josh and Benny Safdie and written by Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein. It stars Robert Pattinson as a small-time criminal who tries to free his developmentally disabled brother, played by Benny Safdie, from police custody, while attempting to avoid his own arrest; Buddy Duress, Taliah Lennice Webster, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Barkhad Abdi co-star. Electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never composed the film's score.

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<i>Uncut Gems</i> 2019 film by the Safdie brothers

Uncut Gems is a 2019 American crime thriller film directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bronstein. It stars Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian. The film tells the story of Howard Ratner (Sandler), a Jewish-American jeweler and gambling addict in New York City's Diamond District, who must retrieve an expensive gem he purchased in order to pay off his debts. Filming took place from September to November 2018. The original score was composed by Daniel Lopatin. Uncut Gems is the last film directed by the Safdie brothers before dissolving their partnership in 2024.

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References

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