Jefferson Stein Explained

Jefferson Stein
Birth Date:10 February 1989
Birth Place:Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Occupation:Director, Writer, Producer
Years Active:2011–present
Website:https://www.jeffersonstein.com

Jefferson Stein (born February 10, 1989) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his 2021 film Burros, executive produced by Eva Longoria, which premiered at the 20th Annual Tribeca Film Festival and won the Jury Award in the Live Action Short category at the 25th Annual New York International Children's Film Festival, where it qualified for the 95th Annual Academy Awards.[1] [2] [3]

Life and career

Stein was born in Dallas, Texas. The oldest of four, he began making films as a child on VHS camcorders with his siblings, which evolved into making half-hour movies in his teenage years with his school friends.[4] He graduated from Hillcrest High School and the Business Honors Program (BHP) at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2011 he made the short film, Wayfarer as part of his admission into Art Center College of Design, where he pursued an MFA in directing and studied under Allen Daviau.[5] [6] As a student, he won a Silver Addy Award at the American Advertising Awards.[7]

Beyond his student work, Stein made the film, Tumble Dry Low in 2015 on a shoe-string budget of $1,500. It premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival, Tallinn Black Night Film Festival, and San Diego International Film Festival, winning the Gold Remi award in the Live Action Narrative category at the 48th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. It was featured on Short of the Week and released by Omeleto, where it received over 2.5 million views.[8] [9] With the film, Stein was included in the 2015 Shoot "New Director's Showcase."[10]

Stein's 2015 television advertisement for American Airlines was included in Shoot's "Best Work You May Never See." In 2016, he directed documentary shorts featuring UFC Welterweight Champion Johny Hendricks and UFC contender Donald Cerrone. In 2018, Stein directed documentary shorts for VICE featuring NBA basketball player Courtney Lee and Olympic gold medalist Candace Parker about becoming the first female athlete to slam dunk in a basketball game.[11] [12]

In 2020, Stein's script, Man in the Maze (I'itoi), a narrative feature set in the same world as Burros, was selected as a quarterfinalist for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.[13] In 2021, his short film, Burros, premiered at the 20th Annual Tribeca Film Festival[14] [15] after it was developed through fiscal sponsorship by Film Independent.[16] The film stars a cast of first-time actors from the Tohono O'odham Nation, where it is set and focuses on the Tohono O'odham living on the Mexico–United States border, immigration, and the Mexican drug war.[17] [18] The film qualified for the 95th Annual Academy Awards following its Jury Award win in the Live Action Short category at the 25th Annual New York International Children's Film Festival. The festival jury included Uma Thurman, Geena Davis, Matthew Modine, and Kyle MacLachlan.[19] [20]

Stein lives in Los Angeles.[21]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011WayfarerDirector, Producer, WriterNarrative short
2012The AnimalDirector, WriterNarrative short
2013T. and SugarDirector, WriterNarrative short
2015Tumble Dry LowDirector, Producer, WriterNarrative short
2021BurrosDirector, Producer, WriterNarrative short

Awards and nominations

Film festival awards

YearAwardFilm FestivalRecipientsResult
2015Gold Remi Award - Live Action Narrative Short SubjectWorldFest-Houston International Film FestivalTumble Dry Low
Best Short Film - Honorable MentionSENE Film, Music and Art Festival
2021Best Short FilmRhode Island International Film FestivalBurros
Best Narrative Short - Jury AwardSidewalk Film Festival[22]
Best Short FilmHollyShorts Film Festival
Best Short Film - PanoramaTirana International Film Festival
Best Narrative Short - Grand Jury PrizeNashville Film Festival
NAHCC's Best Hispanic Film at Nashville Film Festival Award[23]
Best Short Film - Live ActionEdmonton International Film Festival
Best Narrative Short - Jury AwardPortland Film Festival
Best Narrative Short FilmBendFilm Festival
Best Narrative Short - Audience ChoiceSanta Fe Independent Film Festival[24]
International Competition - Best Short FilmKerry Film Festival
Jury Prize for Outstanding Ensemble CastTallgrass Film Festival[25]
Best International Short FilmEvolution Mallorca International Film Festival
Pronck Shorts Competition AwardLeiden International Film Festival
Best Short Fiction FilmLeeds International Film Festival
Best Live Action Short FilmChicago International Children's Film Festival
2022Best International FilmMinimalen Short Film Festival
Jury FavoriteNitehawk Shorts Festival[26]
Audience Award (ages 10+)New York International Children's Film Festival
Jury Award Live Action Short Film[27]
Best Short Film AwardMiami International Film Festival[28]
Best Dramatic ShortArizona International Film Festival[29]
Official Competition supported by Sony - Best Short AwardShort Shorts Film Festival & Asia[30]
Maremetraggio Competition - Best Short FilmShorTS International Film Festival[31]
Best Indigenous FilmCordillera International Film Festival[32]
Best Dramatic Short - 2nd Runner UpWoods Hole Film Festival[33]
Moonwalker Short Award - Best Short FilmNòt Film Fest[34]
Best Narrative Short - Jury AwardAlbuquerque Film & Music Experience[35]
Best Short Film - Audience AwardIndie Street Film Festival[36]
Shorts Spotlight: Best of ShowSCAD Savannah Film Festival[37]
New Wave Jury: Runner UpCornwall Film Festival
Best Live Action Short FilmRNCI Red Nation Awards[38]
Best Short Film - Teenage JuryCinemagic Film Festival - Belfast

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Milligan . Mercedes . 2022-04-08 . NYICFF: 'The Ocean Duck,' 'She Dreams at Sunrise, 'To the Bright Side' Win Top Prizes . 2022-04-24 . Animation Magazine . en-US.
  2. Web site: 2021-07-16 . 2021 Tribeca Film Festival Interview: Jefferson Stein Talks Burros (Exclusive) . 2022-04-24 . Shockya.com . en-US.
  3. News: Graeber . Laurel . 2022-03-03 . 'We Are a Film Festival First.' A Focus on Children Comes Second. . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-04-24 . 0362-4331.
  4. Web site: Stories . Local . Rising Stars: Meet Jefferson Stein. 2022-04-24 . voyagela.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2015-08-05 . AlumNow: Filmmaker following path to happiness . 2022-04-24 . thehub.dallasisd.org . en-US.
  6. Web site: Suh . Elissa . 2009-08-25 . Allen Daviau Joins Art Center College of Design . 2022-04-24 . MovieMaker Magazine . en-us.
  7. Web site: Osman . Nadia . 2013-04-03 . 20 Art Center Students Win 2013 ADDY® Awards . 2022-04-24 . ArtCenter News . en-US.
  8. Web site: Tumble Dry Low by Jefferson Stein Short Film . 2022-04-24 . Short of the Week.
  9. Web site: Tumble Dry Low Drama Short Film . 2022-04-24 . Omeleto . en.
  10. Web site: Jefferson Stein SHOOT New Directors Showcase Event . 2022-04-24 . nds.shootonline.com.
  11. Web site: VICE x MICHELIN 16 PROJECT . 2022-04-24 . OBB MEDIA . en-US.
  12. Web site: 16 project . 2022-04-24 . www.vice.com . en.
  13. Web site: 2020 . 2022-04-24 . Oscars.org Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . en.
  14. Web site: 2021-08-11 . Burros Film Threat . 2022-04-24 . en-US.
  15. Web site: Dominguez . Meghan Sullivan and Carina . 'This is our time. This is our show.' . 2022-04-24 . Indian Country Today . en.
  16. Web site: 2020-01-24 . Fiscal Spotlight: Displacement, Migration and Multi-Media . 2022-04-24 . Film Independent . en-US.
  17. Web site: 2021-06-21 . Tribeca 2021 Interview: Jefferson Stein on Looking for the Silver Linings in "Burros" . 2022-04-24 . The Moveable Fest . en-US.
  18. Web site: Burros Film Review . 2022-04-24 . UK Film Review . en.
  19. Web site: 2022-04-11 . New York International Children's Film Festival Announces Its 2022 Festival Winners . 2022-04-24 . Skwigly Animation Magazine.
  20. Web site: by . 2022-01-03 . Let's go to the New York International Children's Film Festival . 2022-04-24 . New York Latin Culture Magazine™ . en-US.
  21. Web site: About . 2022-04-24 . Jefferson Stein . en-US.
  22. Web site: Sidewalk Film Festival 2021 Award Winners .
  23. Web site: Nashville Hispanic Chamber celebrates 11 honorees in annual awards . The Tennessean.
  24. Web site: Santa Fe Independent Film Festival Awards 2021 .
  25. Web site: The 19th Annual Tallgrass Film Festival Award Winners .
  26. Web site: Best of Nitehawk Shorts Festival "Jury Favorites" . Nitehawk Cinema.
  27. Web site: NYICFF: 'The Ocean Duck,' 'She Dreams at Sunrise, 'To the Bright Side' Win Top Prizes . Animation Magazine.
  28. Web site: Miami Film Festival Opens, Closes With Oscar Short-Listed Films . MiamiArtZine.
  29. Web site: 2022 Arizona International Film Festival Awards . Arizona International Film Festival.
  30. Web site: Academy Awards® Qualifying Short Shorts Film Festival & ASIA Has Announced the 2022 Nominees . Yahoo!.
  31. Web site: ShorTS IFF announces the Maremetraggio Section 2022 . ShorTS International Film Festival.
  32. Web site: 2022 CIFF Nominees . Cordillera International Film Festival.
  33. Web site: 2022 Festival Jury, Sound Design and Screenwriting Awards . Woods Hole Film Festival.
  34. Web site: "Nòt film fest", here are the award-winning films in Santarcangelo . Corriere Romagna.
  35. Web site: 2022 Award Recipients . Albuquerque Film & Music Experience.
  36. Web site: 2022 Indie Street Film Festival Award Winners . New Jersey Stage.
  37. Web site: SCAD Savannah Film Festival Announces 2022 Award Winners . Variety.
  38. Web site: 2022 Nominees - Red Nation Film Festival . Red Nation Film Festival.