Josh Safdie
Josh Safdie is an independent filmmaker based in New York City. He directed The Pleasure of Being Robbed (2008) and co-directed with his brother Benny Lenny and the Kids (2009), The Black Balloon (2012), Lenny Cooke (2013) and Heaven Knows What (2015). They have finished shooting their next film Good Time, starring Robert Pattinson who plays a bank robber unable to evade those who are looking for him.
We asked him what would be five films that he would enjoy showing us tonight.
01
Shakedown, James Glickenhaus, 1988
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It's a New York City film that's unhinged and completely corrupt. There's a scene where a plane flies near the Twin Towers, almost crashing into them, evocative of 9/11.
02
Double Bill : Short Eyes, Robert M. Young, 1977 / A Prophet, Jacques Audiard, 2009
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Made by an interesting director — it’s a very realistic portrait of what it is to be in jail (jail as the place where you await trial before being sent to prison). They shot it in an actual New York City jail. I would double bill it with a great prison film; A Prophet by Jacques Audiard.
03
Minnie and Moskowitz, John Cassavetes, 1971
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The portrayal of two people trying to force themselves to be lovers. Cassavetes had this impressive ability to turn actors into real people and turn real people into actors.
04
Bitter Moon, Roman Polanski, 1992
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A very expressive movie about masochistic love. When I discovered the film, I was myself in a similar relationship than the one of Peter Coyote and Emmanuel Seigner.
05
Gridlock’d, Vondie Curtis-Hall, 1997
Watch the film
I still haven’t seen it and really want to because I love Tupac as an actor and of course Tim Roth.
01 Shakedown, James Glickenhaus, 1988
Watch the film
01
It's a New York City film that's unhinged and completely corrupt. There's a scene where a plane flies near the Twin Towers, almost crashing into them, evocative of 9/11.
02 Double Bill : Short Eyes, Robert M. Young, 1977 / A Prophet, Jacques Audiard, 2009
Watch the film
02
Made by an interesting director — it’s a very realistic portrait of what it is to be in jail (jail as the place where you await trial before being sent to prison). They shot it in an actual New York City jail. I would double bill it with a great prison film; A Prophet by Jacques Audiard.
03 Minnie and Moskowitz, John Cassavetes, 1971
Watch the film
03
The portrayal of two people trying to force themselves to be lovers. Cassavetes had this impressive ability to turn actors into real people and turn real people into actors.
04 Bitter Moon, Roman Polanski, 1992
Watch the film
04
A very expressive movie about masochistic love. When I discovered the film, I was myself in a similar relationship than the one of Peter Coyote and Emmanuel Seigner.
05 Gridlock’d, Vondie Curtis-Hall, 1997
Watch the film
05
I still haven’t seen it and really want to because I love Tupac as an actor and of course Tim Roth.