Brando Benetton is an Italian-raised filmmaker, who stretches his writing / directing work across both Europe and the United States. Before graduating from the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts, in April 2015 he was already listed by Variety magazine in a country-wide list of “110 [Film] Students to Watch”.
Over time, Benetton directed a wide range of award-winning films, commercials and live stunt shows for European theme parks. Among his directing work is “NIGHTFIRE” (which he also co-wrote and produced), a throwback spy thriller featuring an international cast led by Emmy-nominee Dylan Baker. Filmed entirely in northern Italy, the movie features ambitious stunt sequences and practical special effects. After being nominated as Best Independent Pilot (Drama) at SeriesFest 2020, the film premiered on Amazon Prime soon after.
Most recently, Brando wrapped principal photography on his feature directorial debut “THE GIRL IN THE RIVER.” The film stars Emmy-winner Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) and Emmy-nominee Ralph Macchio (Cobra Kai), and is scheduled to release in 2026. Benetton creatively excels thanks to his love for genre filmmaking, and his range of action projects often turn large-scale stunts into emotional storytelling devices.
P R E S S A R C H I V E
Variety | Education Impact Report: Benetton included among 110 Filmmaking Students to Watch
Deadline | ‘Nightfire‘ Finds U.S. Release Under the Title ‘American Bullet’ – EFM
SeriesFest | ‘Nightfire’ - Director/Cast Q&A
Film Threat | ‘Nightfire’ Film Review
