Benny Safdie to receive the Stockholm Visionary Award 2025

This year, the Stockholm International Film Festival honors American director and screenwriter Benny Safdie with the Stockholm Visionary Award. Safdie will attend the festival with his new film The Smashing Machine and will receive the award at a screening of the film at Bio Skandia.

The Smashing Machine tells the true story of legendary mixed martial arts and UFC-fighter Mark Kerr. The leading role is portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a transformative performance, with Emily Blunt starring as Kerr’s partner, Dawn Staples.

Through his collaborations with his brother Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie has established himself as one of contemporary cinema’s most compelling voices, earning international acclaim for films such as Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019). The Smashing Machine marks his first feature film as sole director, screenwriter, and editor.

Beyond his work behind the camera, Safdie has also demonstrated impressive range as an actor, appearing in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023) and in the acclaimed TV series The Curse (2023–2024) alongside Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder. The series, which he also co-created and co-directed with Fielder, had its European premiere at the Stockholm International Film Festival in 2023.

The Stockholm Visionary Award was established in 2004 with the aim of recognizing the visionaries in modern film. The award has previously been awarded to pioneering filmmakers such as Wong Kar Wai (2008), Yorgos Lanthimos (2015) and Céline Sciamma (2019). Last year, for the first time ever, the award was presented to two filmmakers – Steve McQueen and Sean Baker – who were both honored at the festival.