Benny Safdie

Joshua Safdie Ben Safdie
Born	New York City, United States
Occupation	Director, writer, actor
Website	Elara Pictures

Brothers Joshua Safdie and Ben Safdie are independent filmmakers based in New York City, who frequently collaborate.

Raised in both Queens and Manhattan, Josh and Ben Safdie began making movies at a young age, inspired by their film-enthusiast father. They attended Boston University, where they co-founded with Alex Kalman, the creative collective Red Bucket Films. The turmoil of their youth, as children of divorced parents, became an inspiration for later work. They are distantly related to famed architect Moshe Safdie.

The Safdies were members of Red Bucket Films a creative collective formed by several friends and schoolmates, including fellow filmmakers Brett Jutkiewicz, Alex Kalman and Sam Lisenco. They collaborated closely with each other on many projects. They often worked with nonprofessional actors. The collective ended in 2012 with the opening of Mmuseumm.

In 2007, Partners & Spade co-founder Andy Spade commissioned Josh Safdie to create a short film to promote Kate Spade Handbags. Together, Josh and Benny and their cohort submitted instead a feature-length script, which they began shooting with Spade's support. Co-writer Eleonore Hendricks stars as a lonely kleptomaniac whose childlike charms and curiosity nevertheless leave her estranged from her fellow city dwellers. From purses to bags of grapes to a little girl's "surprise" litter of kittens, Eleonore explores the life of a free spirited thief in the city of New York.

The film premiered at SXSW in March 2008. It also played at the Cannes sidebar Directors' Fortnight, along with a short film The Acquaintances of a Lonely John directed by Benny. The film has also aired on IFC.

A second feature film, co-directed by Josh and Benny, internationally premiered at the Director's Fortnight at Cannes under an alternate title Go Get Some Rosemary in 2009 and played its American debut at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Starring Frownland director Ronald Bronstein, it was inspired by the filmmakers' younger years living with their father, Albert. Film critic A.O. Scott praised its "loose, intimate shooting-style," and Bronstein's performance. He called it a "lovely, hair-raising film". Bronstein subsequently won a Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Actor.Go Get Some Rosemary won the Cassavetes Award at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards, under its American title: Daddy Long Legs.

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