The new A24 film “The Smashing Machine,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has won a prestigious award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. The film’s director, Benny Safdie, took home the Silver Lion award for Best Director.
Johnson confirmed the news of the award in a post on his Instagram account. The film, which tells the real-life story of former MMA fighter Mark Kerr, sees Johnson in one of the most dramatic and challenging roles of his career. He has spoken openly about being “typecast” in the past and wanting to prove himself in more serious, character-driven films.
The film also stars Emily Blunt as Kerr’s then-wife, Dawn Staples, and features cameos from real-life combat sports figures such as Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk. The combination of a powerful true story, a talented cast, and the gritty, realistic direction of Benny Safdie has created a great deal of anticipation for the film’s theatrical release.
Safdie’s award is the latest in a string of successes for “The Smashing Machine.” The film debuted with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics have been praising Johnson’s performance. The success of “The Smashing Machine” comes on the heels of another successful combat sports film from A24, “The Iron Claw,” which told the story of the Von Erich wrestling family.
“The Smashing Machine” is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 3. The full post from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson can be seen on his Instagram account.
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