In presenting the Hamilton Behind the Camera award to Benny Safdie for directing Smashing Machines, Dwayne Johnson shared Christopher Nolan’s thoughtful initial reaction to the biographical sports drama and its unique directorial style. Of Safdie’s bold decision to take the camera out of the ring and show the fight from the perspective of a sold-out crowd, Johnson said, “It paid off when director Christopher Nolan saw the movie for the first time and said to Benny, ‘This is the biggest fight. I say this out of respect and as a compliment, but I feel like I shouldn’t watch this. It feels like an intrusion on their space. And it’s very counterintuitive to me as a director. I really want to send you a bouquet of flowers.”
The “Oppenheimer” director previously praised “Smashing Machine” in an interview with Safdie on the “Director’s Cut” podcast in October. He called the film “heartbreaking” and praised Johnson’s portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Carr, calling it an “incredible performance.” He added: “I don’t think we’ll see a better performance this year or any other year.” At the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards, Johnson asserted that Nolan also had a strong reaction to Safdie’s direction.
Safdie was among 13 winners of Variety’s 14th annual Behind the Camera Awards for Hamilton. The awards ceremony was held on November 5th at the Avalon Hollywood & Bardot in Los Angeles. Other winners include “Roofman” production designer Inbal Weinberg, “Sinners” real estate master Douglas Ware and “Is This Sing On?” Cinematographer Matthew Libatique, One Battle After Another costume designer Colleen Atwood, Springsteen editor Pamela Martin, Frankenstein hair and makeup artist Mike Hill, Jay Kelly composer Nicholas Britell, Rental Family writers Hikari and Stephen Blahat, and F1 sound artists Al Nelson, Gary Rizzo, and Juan Peralta. Sasheer Zamata hosted the event.
Each winner was introduced by one of our creative collaborators. Channing Tatum presented Weinberg with the award and reflected on how the production designer’s meticulous detail in recreating an early 2000s Toys R Us evoked a deep sense of nostalgia. “She really creates an environment that would make a grown man cry,” the actor said. “I’m sure some of my friends would argue that I may not be an adult, but when I saw these creepy bearded guys who looked like cement bags in their hands, and they walked into this Toys R Us, I swear to you, I cried. Watch them walk into their childhood dreams and fantasies.”
Guillermo del Toro similarly provided a humorous and heartfelt introduction to Hill. He fondly remembered the first time he met a makeup artist at Monsterpalooza, a horror and special effects convention in Burbank. “Most of the people who go there are pale, just like me,” del Toro joked. “And like me, they feed primarily on Cheetos and are very knowledgeable about things that no one else cares about, but we care about passionately.” He said of how Hill’s artificial recreation of Boris Karloff’s head from James Whale’s 1931 film “Frankenstein” captured his eye and imagination. Del Toro insisted on purchasing the head, and as of this year, a collaboration was born that included del Toro’s own adaptation of “Frankenstein.” “I just finished my franken sandwich,” the director laughed. “We were both destined for this.”
Weinberg and Hill, like many honorees, expressed deep gratitude to the crew and other bottom-line workers who bring the films to life. After an introduction from F1 director Joseph Kosinski, Nelson, Rizzo and Peralta thanked the director’s sound editor, production mixer, composer Hans Zimmer and the Skywalker sound team. “Apple’s partnership with Skywalker Sound highlights how a commitment to the highest standards can deliver extraordinary cinematic experiences like F1,” Rizzo said. “And to the staff at Skywalker Sound, we would like to thank you for your meticulous attention to detail and continued pursuit of excellent acoustics.”
Ware similarly acknowledged that the Propmaster team has been consistent over the years, maintaining projects leading up to “Sinners.” “I have to thank the team,” he said. “It was just an amazing opportunity to be on the same team from Season 4 on Queen Sugar, then on The Nickel Boys, and then on The Sinners. I have to thank my staff: Melissa Waltrip, Madison Aucoin, Jasmine Hall, and Drew Wahard.”
Libertique agreed from a cinematographer’s perspective, saying, “Cinematography is a very collaborative effort, and this honor really belongs to everyone who helped me make ‘Is This Sing On?'”
Some spoke about the unique experience of this year’s latest projects, including Brittell and Atwood, who were introduced by Barry Jenkins and Teyana Taylor, respectively. Britell talked about how director Noah Baumbach invited him to the set of the movie Jay Kelly in Italy to play the score that was still in development while the cameras were rolling. “I had never done anything like physically being apart and playing a set of score ideas that I was working on,” Britell said. “I went to Tuscany and it was just a miraculous experience. Playing the idea of the score in the film itself was very, very cool.”
Atwood similarly spoke about the unique process of dressing Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another.” “As a designer, I feel like I’ve gotten to do something really new and interesting. I’ll never regret doing this. This is my favorite movie I’ve ever worked on.”
Introduced by actor Steven Yeun, Hikari and Brahut combined the importance of collaboration with the power of story. “Our Movie Rental Family is essentially a story about loneliness and belonging, especially in times of disconnection,” Hikari said. “It’s a film that questions what it means to forge connections and still find something deeply human in those actions in an increasingly divided world.” In that same spirit, Martin said of “Deliver Me From Nowhere,” “My biggest hope is that people watch this film and know they don’t have to suffer alone. We’re all in this together.”
Poetically, collaboration and unity were the motif throughout the evening, as the work behind the camera is not accomplished in isolation. “We’re all mining this material together,” Safdie said after accepting his award from Johnson at the end of the night. “Part of the movie exists with everyone.”
