Safdie Brothers Split After Bitter Dispute Over Who Failed to Stop 'Good Time' Set Incident

Once regarded as one of independent cinema's most influential directing partnerships, brothers Josh and Benny Safdie ended their long-running collaboration in 2023 after more than a decade of critical success. At the time, the split was framed publicly as a professional divergence, with both filmmakers choosing to pursue separate creative paths.

In recent months, however, renewed industry reporting has linked the breakdown of their partnership to a disputed on-set incident during the production of their 2017 film Good Time. While the allegations remain unproven, their resurfacing has attracted attention because of the broader questions they raise about responsibility, safeguarding and ethical oversight in film-making.

The renewed scrutiny comes as the film industry continues to confront long-standing concerns about on-set conduct, particularly in productions involving young or vulnerable performers, placing the Safdies' split within a wider debate about accountability in independent cinema.

From Acclaimed Partnership To Separate Careers

Josh and Benny Safdie rose to prominence through a series of gritty, high-intensity films celebrated for their immersive realism and stylistic urgency. Good Time, starring Robert Pattinson, marked a breakthrough moment, followed by Uncut Gems in 2019, which further cemented their reputation as leading figures in contemporary American cinema.

In early 2023, it emerged that the brothers would no longer direct films together. Benny Safdie later confirmed the split in interviews, saying he was uncertain whether they would collaborate again. Since then, both have pursued individual projects, with Josh directing Marty Supreme and Benny moving into separate directing and acting work.

Allegations Linked To The Filming Of 'Good Time'

According to reports published by US entertainment outlets, an incident during the filming of Good Time has been cited by sources as a point of internal disagreement between the brothers. The reports allege that a scene involving a 17-year-old actress and actor Buddy Duress raised concerns about on-set conduct and supervision.

Sources quoted in those reports claim the footage was ultimately removed from the film before its release and that no formal complaint was made at the time. The allegations have not been independently verified, and no legal action has been reported in connection with the incident.

Neither Josh nor Benny Safdie has publicly addressed the specific claims, and representatives for the filmmakers have not issued statements responding to the reports.

Reported Impact On The Partnership

Industry reporting suggests that details of the alleged incident became a source of tension between the brothers several years after the film's release. Accounts vary regarding when each brother became fully aware of the circumstances, and responsibility for decisions made during production has been disputed in those reports.

The Safdies continued to work together after Good Time, including on Uncut Gems, before their partnership formally ended. Observers have cautioned that the precise reasons for the split remain known only to those directly involved and that no single explanation has been confirmed.

Unresolved Questions

No formal findings have been made, but the episode has intensified scrutiny of safeguarding standards and decision-making on film sets.

As the film industry continues to reassess accountability and oversight, the Safdie brothers' split has become a reference point in wider discussions about how unresolved ethical concerns can fracture creative partnerships long after a production ends.