“The Smashing Machine” Starring Usyk and Johnson Gets 15-Minute Ovation at Venice Film Festival

At the Venice Film Festival, director Benny Safdie presented his new film The Smashing Machine, featuring Ukrainian boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk in one of the key roles. The world premiere was met with a standing ovation that lasted 15 minutes, Deadline reported on September 1.

The screening took place as part of the festival’s main program and received an overwhelming reception from the audience. Lead actor Dwayne Johnson, who plays the central role, was visibly emotional and could not hold back tears. Under a storm of applause, Johnson embraced the film’s director, while his co-star Emily Blunt stood nearby.

Usyk makes his Hollywood debut portraying legendary Ukrainian MMA fighter Igor Vovchanchyn. On screen, he re-enacts the rivalry between Vovchanchyn and Kerr, who faced each other twice in the ring in 1999 and 2000. Both times, the Ukrainian fighter claimed victory by judges’ decision.

In its review, The Independent highlighted Usyk’s performance, noting that he “doesn’t camp it up like Mr T in Rocky but plays the role straight, albeit occasionally flashing that gap-toothed grin that has put the fear of god into so many of his British opponents.”

The Smashing Machine is a biographical sports drama about American MMA fighter Mark Kerr, a role taken on by Johnson. For the role, the 53-year-old actor wore facial prosthetics to resemble Kerr and reportedly lost nearly 27 kilograms to portray the fighter with accuracy.

The Smashing Machine is set to premiere in global theaters on October 3, 2025, and has already been hailed as one of the most anticipated sports dramas of the year.

Earlier, Radna Sakhaltuev, a prominent figure in Ukrainian animation, has died at the age of 90.

He was behind dozens of iconic animated films produced in Kyiv, including Treasure Island, How the Cossacks Played Hockey, Doctor Aibolit, and The Adventures of Captain Vrungel.

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