Stefan Schaefer

A founder of the New York-based production company Cicala Filmworks, Schaefer has worked in independent film for over 13 years. His films have premiered and won awards at festivals such as Berlin, South by Southwest, Rotterdam, and the Hamptons, and have been successfully released theatrically, via cable outfits such as HBO and the Sundance Channel, and on DVD.

In the past six years he has written, directed and/or produced six feature films, including Michael Imperioli's debut THE HUNGRY GHOSTS (2009), Olaf Johannesson's THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA (2008), ARRANGED (2007), and CONFESS (2005). Schaefer recently produced the Maui-set comedy GET A JOB now in post production and to be released in 2011. A romantic comedy he wrote with partner Christoph Silber shoots in Germany this summer, produced by TeamWorx and UFA Cinema. Continuing his busy summer, in July-August 2010, Schaefer will direct MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU (2011), starring Nicole Beharie, Ken Duken and Reg E. Cathey

Projects in development include the Bumbershoot Production's WINNIE (2012) and THE HUNTER'S SONG (2012), recently optioned to XYZ Films. He is also co-creating a web-series with Jonathan Stern (award-winning creator of web series WAINY DAYS & CHILDRENS' HOSPITAL), titled SURF BREAK HOTEL (2010).

Schaefer is in pre-production/development on six additional feature films set for 2010 and 2011, including the Bumbershoot Productions, Inc. project, WINNIE (2011). Schaefer has co-written 4 films with partner Christoph Silber, including cross-cultural romantic comedy MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU (2010), FIRST LADY (2010), VATERTOCHTER (2010) and THE HUNTER'S SONG (2011). He is also co-creating a web-series with Jonathan Stern (award-winning creator of web series WAINY DAYS & CHILDRENS' HOSPITAL), titled SURF BREAK HOTEL (2010).

Awards include: Grand Prize for Best Feature Film at the 2008 Skip City International Film Festival in Japan, The TEDDY Award for Best Feature Film at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival, Best Film at the 2007 Brooklyn International Film Festival, Best Screenwriter at the 2005 Hamptons International Film Festival, and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Screenwriting.

Schaefer was born in Boston, spent his childhood in Sussex, England and his adolescent years in Detroit and New York. He studied political theory and theater at Wesleyan University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to founding Cicala Filmworks, he studied as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany and worked as a journalist.

A complete list of his extensive film credits is available at www.imdb.com/name/nm1516290.