Stefan Schaefer
Stefan Schaefer is an American writer, director and producer of independent films and television.
Biography
Early Life & Education
Schaefer was born in Boston, spent his childhood in Sussex, England and his adolescent years in Detroit and New York. He studied acting and political theory at Skidmore College and Wesleyan University, from which he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Following a year and a half in Germany—where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Kiel—he returned to New York and co-founded the production company Cicala Filmworks.[1]
He is the maternal grandson of polar explorer and ornithologist Carl R. Eklund.
Career
Schaefer's films have premiered and won awards at festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival, the Hamptons International Film Festival, and SxSW, among many others, and been successfully released theatrically, via cable outfits such as HBO and the Sundance Channel, on iTunes and DVD.
He has over 15 feature film credits to his name, among them My Last Day Without You, The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela, and Arranged. On these and other projects he worked with Academy Award winner Melissa Leo, Ali Larter, Zoe Lister-Jones, Ken Duken, Nicole Beharie, Michael Imperioli, and many more.
On the documentary front, Schaefer directed the one-hour television documentary Contested Streets, which looks at what New York can learn from London, Paris and Copenhagen in terms of organizing its streets and public spaces. The film screened widely at environmental film festivals and aired as part of "The Green" series on the Sundance Channel. He is currently directing a feature documentary on poet and environmental activist W.S. Merwin.
Schaefer is a frequent collaborator with Icelandic filmmaker Olaf de Fleur, screenwriter Christoph Silber, and Diane Crespo. An active member of the Writers Guild of America, East, Schaefer is managed by LA-based Industry Entertainment.
Filmography
Theatrical
- 2005 - Confess (writer/director)
- 2006 - Contested Streets (director/producer/editor)
- 2006 - Act Normal (2006) (co-producer)
- 2007 - Arranged (writer/director/producer)
- 2008 - The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela (writer/producer/actor)
- 2008 - The Higher Force (writer/producer/actor)
- 2009 - The Hungry Ghosts (producer/actor)
- 2011 - Get a Job (producer/actor)
- 2011 - The Roundup (short) (writer/producer/director)
- 2012/13 - My Last Day Without You (writer/producer/director)
Television
- 2009 - Circledrawers (co-creator/producer/actor)
- 2012 - First Lady / Nicht mit mir, Liebling (writer)
- 2013 - To Love, Let Go / Wer liebt, lässt los (writer)
- 2013 - The Paradise Within / Das Paradies in uns (writer)
Awards & Nominations
- 1995 - Fulbright Scholar
- 2003 - New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Screenwriting
- 2004 - Grand Prize in Digital Filmmaking from Apple and Panasonic
- 2005 - Best Screenwriter Hamptons International Film Festival, Confess
- 2007 - Brooklyn Int'l Film Festival: Best Film Arranged
- 2007 - Berkshire Int'l Film Festival: Audience Award Arranged
- 2007 - Washington Jewish Film Festival: Audience Award Arranged
- 2008 - Skip City Int'l Film Festival: Best Film Arranged
- 2008 - Berlin International Film Festival: Teddy Award for Best Feature Film 'The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela
- 2011 - Big Island Film Festival: Audience Choice Award Get A Job
- 2011 - Brooklyn International Film Festival: Best Producer My Last Day Without You
- 2012 - Black Reel Awards: Best Independent Feature Film My Last Day Without You
- 2012 - Black Reel Awards: Best Original Song My Last Day Without You (nominated)
References
- ↑ Cicala Filmworks, retrieved 2011-03-22
^ Miller, B (2007-12-14). "Break On Through To The Other Side".
^ Scheib, R (2007-12-13). "Arranged Film Review". Variety.
^ Mack, R (2009-06-10). "Angels Walk Amongst Us in Web-Series 'Circledrawers'".
^ Weinburg, S (March 2007). "SxSW '07 Interview "Arranged" Directors Stefan Schaefer & Diane Crespo".
^ Chatenlever, Rick (April 2010). "Get A Job in the movie biz".
^ "Cameras Set To Roll on US-German Romance My Last Day Without You". 2010-06-22.
External links
- Stefan Schaefer at the Internet Movie Database
- , official website
- Variety review of film Arranged, Dec. 13, 2007. Accessed 2008-04-22.
- "Arranged Wins Skip City link title
- , official website for film "Arranged"
- , official website for film "My Last Day Without You"
- , official website for web-series "Circledrawers"
- , official website for film "Get A Job"
- , official website for production company "Cicala Filmworks"
- , official website for production company "Silver Shepherd"
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