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Stefan Schaefer

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Stefan Schaefer
Schaefer in 2015
Born
Stefan Schaefer

(1971-08-17) August 17, 1971 (age 53)
EducationWesleyan University (BA)
University of Kiel (Fulbright Scholar)
Occupations
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
SpouseChenta Laury
Children2

Stefan Schaefer (born August 17, 1971) is an American writer, director, and producer of films and television.

Biography

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Early life and education

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Schaefer was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He spent his early childhood in Sussex, England, and his adolescent years in Michigan and New York. He studied theater and political theory at Wesleyan University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. After spending a year and a half in Germany 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.[2][3]

Career

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His films have been premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and SXSW,[4] with releases on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO, PBS, and the Sundance Channel.[5]

He has worked on films with actors such as Melissa Leo, Ali Larter, Zoe Lister-Jones, Ken Duken, Nicole Beharie, David Harbour, and Michael Imperioli. Schaefer, along with writer Chris Silber,[6] has written TV movies for European networks ARD and ZDF, two of which were filmed in Hawaii.[7]

Schaefer also directed the television documentary Contested Streets,[8] which examined the streets and public spaces in New York City compared to those in London, Paris, and Copenhagen. The documentary screened at environmental film festivals and aired as part of "The Green" series on the Sundance Channel.[9] He next directed a feature documentary on Poet Laureate and environmental activist W.S. Merwin, titled Even Though the Whole World Is Burning.[10] A one-hour version of the film, W.S. Merwin: To Plant a Tree, was broadcast on PBS in 2016.

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Credit Notes
2005 Confess Director/writer
2006 Act Normal Co-producer
Contested Streets[11] Director/producer/editor Documentary
2007 Arranged[12] Director/writer/producer
2008 The Higher Force[13] Writer/producer/actor
The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela Writer/producer/actor
2009 The Hungry Ghosts Producer/actor
2011 The Roundup Director/writer/producer Short film
Get a Job[14] Producer/actor
My Last Day Without You[15] Director/writer/producer
2014 Even Though the Whole World Is Burning Director/writer/producer Documentary
2017 Kuleana Producer/actor
2020 Aloha Surf Hotel[16] Director/writer/producer
2023 Viral Director/co-writer/producer Short film
2024 Grit & Gratitude: The Sig Anderman Story Director/writer/producer Documentary
Television
Year Title Credit
2009 Circledrawers[17] Co-creator/producer/actor
2012 First Lady / Nicht mit mir, Liebling[18] Writer
2013 The Paradise Within / Das Paradies in uns Writer
To Love, Let Go / Wer liebt, lässt los Writer
2015 Bluewater: Nightmare in Paradise [de] / Blauwasserleben Writer
2016 Surf Break Hotel [19] Director/writer/producer
W.S. Merwin: To Plant a Tree Director/writer/producer
2018 I Am Because You Are Director/writer/producer

Awards and nominations

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References

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  1. ^ Cicala Filmworks, retrieved 2011-03-22
  2. ^ "Eklund's Antarctic". www.karinschaefer.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  3. ^ "Carl Eklund". usas1939.org. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
  4. ^ Ankrum, Nora (March 9, 2007). "Looking More Closely When Others Look Away". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  5. ^ "A Little Confession is Good for the Soul: An Interview with Writer/Dir". Writers Store. 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  6. ^ Rotterdam Film Festival. "The Hungry Ghosts".
  7. ^ Die Stimme Berlins. "Blauwasserleben: Wie eine Traumreise zum Albtraum wurde".
  8. ^ Schaefer, Stefan C. (2006-06-27), Contested Streets (Documentary), Majora Carter, Kenneth Jackson, Robert R. Kiley, Cicala Filmworks, retrieved 2024-10-15
  9. ^ "Sundance Channel Does Transportation". Sustainablog.
  10. ^ Huffington Post. "Watching the World Burn with Merwin".
  11. ^ Schaefer, Stefan C. (2006-06-27), Contested Streets (Documentary), Majora Carter, Kenneth Jackson, Robert R. Kiley, Cicala Filmworks, retrieved 2025-01-28
  12. ^ Bennett, Bruce (2007-12-14). "Break On Through To The Other Side". Archived from the original on June 20, 2008.
  13. ^ Johannesson, Olaf de Fleur (2008-03-28), Stóra planið (Comedy), Pétur Jóhann Sigfússon, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Eggert Þorleifsson, Cicala Filmworks, Icelandic Film Center, Kukl, retrieved 2025-01-28
  14. ^ Chatenlever, Rick (April 2010). "Get A Job in the movie biz". Archived from the original on April 26, 2010.
  15. ^ "Cameras Set To Roll on US-German Romance My Last Day Without You". 2010-06-22. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  16. ^ Subiono, R (2023-10-05). "Maui screenwriter welcomes new union deal as 148-day strike ends". Archived from the original on February 21, 2024.
  17. ^ Mack, R (2009-06-10). "Angels Walk Amongst Us in Web-Series 'Circledrawers'". Archived from the original on June 12, 2009.
  18. ^ Nennstiel, Thomas (2012-03-23), Nicht mit mir, Liebling (Comedy), Ursula Karven, Hans Werner Meyer, Henning Baum, ARD Degeto Film, teamWorx Television & Film, retrieved 2025-01-28
  19. ^ Schaefer, Stefan C., Surf Break Hotel (Comedy), Nick Corirossi, Tani Lynn Fujimoto, John Gemberling, Abominable Pictures, retrieved 2025-01-28
  20. ^ "NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS Directory of Artists' Fellows & Finalists" (PDF).
  21. ^ "Berlinale Talents - Stefan Schaefer". Berlinale Talents. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
  22. ^ "Panasonic Professional Video Products - Press Release". web.archive.org. 2004-12-07. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
  23. ^ "2005 Hamptons International Film Festival award winners". IMDb.
  24. ^ "Washington Jewish Film Festival (2007)". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  25. ^ "IMDb.com Brooklyn International Film Festival 2007 award winners". IMDb.
  26. ^ "Berlin International Film Festival (2008)". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  27. ^ "SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024". www.skipcity-dcf.jp. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
  28. ^ Skip City. "Results".
  29. ^ "Brooklyn International Film Festival 2011 award winners". IMDb.
  30. ^ "Big Island Film Festival (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  31. ^ Morales, Wilson (2011-12-14). "Pariah Lead Black Reel Awards Field". blackfilm.com. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  32. ^ "Black Reel Awards (2012)". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  33. ^ "Residents". Can Cab. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  34. ^ "Maui Film Festival (2018)". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  35. ^ "HIFF40 | HIFF | Hawai'i International Film Festival". Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  36. ^ "Aloha Surf Hotel |". web.archive.org. 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  37. ^ SFCA grantee spotlight. "Viral".
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