The Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie wins the prestigious Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival 

The Smashing Machine arrived in Venice carrying a certain buzz. There was curiosity, maybe even a bit of doubt, around what Benny Safdie would do on his own. The name of the film already suggested something heavy, and once it finally played, the reactions started to spread. It quickly turned into one of the stories that kept people talking through the week. In the end, Safdie walked away with the Silver Lion for Best Director, announced at the 82nd edition of the festival, which wrapped up on September 6.

The award placed Safdie in a new light. Known mainly for working alongside his brother Josh, he now takes the lead alone. It was not only a professional step but also proof that his voice could stand on its own. Venice, often described as a stage where international cinema gains shape, provided the moment.

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Benny Safdie at the center

Safdie’s career has been connected to intensity. Films like Good Time and Uncut Gems showed restless characters and a raw sense of tension. The Smashing Machine moves differently. It focuses on Mark Kerr, a mixed martial arts fighter whose story goes beyond the ring. Fame, injuries, private struggles, all of it becomes part of the narrative.

The official description released by the Biennale points to this duality. And critics echoed that impression after the premiere. The film avoids sensationalism, choosing instead a quieter, more direct tone. The spectacle of combat is there, but the camera also pauses on the fighter’s face, on the silences between the fights, on the consequences carried home.

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The strength of The Smashing Machine

What stands out is not only the portrayal of an athlete but the layers around him. The film captures the rhythm of battles and, at the same time, the slow weight of personal choices. Reviewers noted how this approach added depth, shaping the work as more than a sports biopic.

During the ceremony, Safdie called the film an exercise in radical empathy. Variety reported that he described the award as a dream come true. The words underlined the intention: to bring the audience closer to a man often seen only as a fighter and to highlight what remains when the lights fade.

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Other winners at the festival

The festival ended up sharing its big prizes in very different directions. The Golden Lion went to Father Mother Sister Brother, Jim Jarmusch’s film about families and the strange ways they connect. The Grand Jury Prize was handed to The Voice of Hind Rajab, a drama from Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania that carried heavy echoes of the present, while The Smashing Machine secured the Silver Lion for Best Director with Benny Safdie.

On the acting side, Xin Zhilei was named Best Actress for The Sun Rises on Us All, while Toni Servillo picked up Best Actor for La Grazia. And then came Below the Clouds, Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary about Mount Vesuvius, which the jury chose for the Special Prize. Put together, these wins moved across a wide map, from quiet personal stories to works that dealt directly with larger conflicts.

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The importance of the festival

Venice has long been known as a meeting point between art and industry. Films launched there often find space in other festivals and later in international awards. The 2025 edition kept that pattern. Stories about families, conflicts, and resilience all appeared side by side, forming a picture of the current moment in cinema.

The jury was a mix, and that was clear from the start. Alexander Payne sat at the head, the director of The Holdovers, steady but also open to the clash of voices around him. Next to him, Fernanda Torres from Brazil, actress and writer, adding a tone that felt different. Then came Mohammad Rasoulof from Iran, Cristian Mungiu from Romania, and Stéphane Brizé from France. A line of names, each carrying its own history.

And it didn’t stop there. Maura Delpero from Italy brought her own perspective, while Zhao Tao from China, actress and producer, completed the circle. Put them all together and the conversations couldn’t help but feel layered. One film seen in six or seven ways at once. That mix gave the competition its weight, not just a single judgment but many views colliding.

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Expectations after Venice

The Smashing Machine premiered in Venice and is scheduled for release in the United States in October 2025. The Silver Lion award already positions it strongly, ensuring further attention from critics and audiences. Distribution paths are still unfolding, but the recognition guarantees that the film will continue to be part of conversations throughout the year.

Commentary about possible appearances in other award circuits has surfaced, but what is confirmed is its path from Venice into theaters. The film leaves the festival not just with a trophy but with visibility that few other platforms can provide.

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Closing note

The Silver Lion for Benny Safdie secured the Smashing Machine a place among the most significant films of 2025. The festival once again underlined its role in presenting stories that blend art and urgency. Safdie’s win places him in a line of filmmakers whose careers gained momentum on the Venetian stage. The film is now set to travel further, carrying the mark of an award that continues to shape the direction of contemporary cinema.