Freddy Macdonald

Freddy Macdonald (born October 12, 2000) is a Swiss-American film director, screenwriter, and editor. He is the youngest directing fellow ever accepted to the American Film Institute. His feature film debut Sew Torn premiered at South by Southwest Film Festival and headlined the Locarno Film Festival in 2024.

Life and career Macdonald was born in Santa Monica, California. His six-minute short film Sew Torn, which he made as part of his application for film school in 2019, was acquired by Searchlight Pictures and qualified for an Academy Award after a theatrical release nationwide alongside Ready or Not. Executive produced by Academy Award winner Peter Spears, it was watched by Joel Coen, who met with Macdonald and advised turning the short into an independent feature. That same year, Macdonald signed with United Talent Agency, and was accepted to the American Film Institute, becoming the youngest directing fellow ever accepted to the Conservatory. His AFI graduating thesis film Shedding Angels won a Student Academy Award and was shortlisted for a student BAFTA.

The world premiere of his first feature-length film Sew Torn, which he also edited and co-wrote with his father Fred Macdonald, took place at South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2024. It went on to headline the Locarno Film Festival on the Piazza Grande, and was an official selection at festivals including Sitges and Camerimage. The film was acquired for North American distribution by Vertigo Releasing and Sunrise Films, had a theatrical release in May 2025, and became available to stream on Netflix in December 2025. It received widespread critical acclaim. The Hollywood Reporter described Macdonald as a "wunderkind" and "the filmmaker who dazzled SXSW", Collider called him "one of the most exciting new directors out there", and Variety stated he "may well be the next big thing." Sew Torn earned 95% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and was awarded Certified Fresh status as of July 2025.

Filmography Year Title Director Writer Editor Notes 2016 Gifted: Thanksgiving Post MortemShort film 2017 The Father of ArtShort film 2018 The CoachmenShort film 2019 I'm GoodShort film 2019 Sew TornShort film 2022 Shedding AngelsShort film 2024 Sew Torn

Accolades Year Award Category Title Result Ref. 2022 Student Academy Awards Narrative Short Shedding Angels 2024 South By Southwest Film Festival Visions Sew Torn 2024 Sitges Film Festival Noves Visions Sew Torn