Josh and Benny Safdie, two filmmakers from New York who have been making films together for almost twenty years and co-founded their own film production company, have decided they will no longer be making films together.
The Safdie brothers are the critically acclaimed directors behind “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems,” and have always been surrounded by the world of film. Their father, Alberto Safdie, began to videotape the brothers constantly and introduced them to films of high acclaim like “Kramer vs. Kramer” at a young age.
Shortly after entering college, the Safdies created Red Bucket Films, a production company they would use to produce their many short films they made from 2005-2008.
It was in these short films where the Safdie brothers’ style began to stand out.
The nature of these films had an incredibly strong Do-It-Yourself quality to them as they were college students making these shorts. They often acted in their own films, along with doing the cinematography, sound and editing. Without access to elaborate film equipment, their films were filmed almost entirely using handheld shots which really cemented the DIY feel.
The Safdies’ shorts can be great resources for those who are trying to create their own films, especially college students.
Owen Kline, son of actors Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates, despite being a part of the film industry already, had been trying to make a film for years but couldn’t quite figure out how to do it. It wasn’t until Kline became familiar with the Safdies’ work that he figured out the key to making movies.
“I was aware of [Josh Safdie’s] short films,” Kline said in an interview with Curzon films. “And this movie “We’re Going to the Zoo” that he’d made was playing around, and it was kind of this small, 16mm weird kind of thing, and I was just drawn to him and his work. . . and learned you don’t ask for permission. You just don’t ask permission. That’s the only way to make anything.”
In August 2022, Kline’s film “Funny Pages” was finally released. The Safdies’ influence is stronger than ever, as the brothers executive produced the film, creating another DIY film that is highly influential for young adult/college student filmmakers.
Throughout their career, Josh and Benny Safdie have worked on over 20 short films and six feature-length films. With all they have created together, fans are left wondering why the Safdies are splitting up.
“It’s a natural progression of what we each want to explore,” Benny said in an interview with Variety. “I will direct on my own, and I will explore things that I want to explore. I want that freedom right now in my life.”
While this is disappointing to many fans, it may not come as a total shock. While Josh has not released a film since “Uncut Gems” in 2019, Benny has been acting in various projects including “Licorice Pizza,” “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.,” the incredibly popular “Oppenheimer” and most recently Showtime’s “The Curse,” a television show he co-created with comedian Nathan Fielder.
Benny’s consistent involvement in projects since “Uncut Gems” is a sign of him exploring the things he wants to explore and gaining freedom in his life.
As of right now, Josh Safdie has not had much to say on the subject, but his follow up film to “Uncut Gems” has been put on pause.
