Stephanie Zari

STEPHANIE ZARI – BIO www.stephaniezari.com

Stephanie is an award winning, BAFTA longlisted filmmaker currently in development on several film and TV projects including her feature film IN OUR BLOOD, a provocative psychological horror. The screenplay was awarded Creative England/BFI Emerging Talent Development Funds that completed in 2018, working closely with BAFTA Vision Award recipient Jennifer Monks and UK Script Consultant, Ludo Smolski. The film was chosen for the 2017 Birds Eye View/BFI FILMONOMICS programme headed by Mia Bays. The project was selected for 2018’s EIFF Talent Lab and Galway Film Market. Stephanie was a participant in the 2018 BAFTA x CREW Talent Development Programme for writers, directors and producers and also mentored for the BAFTA/BFI Film Academy Alumni Programme. In 2018 she was added to Shore Script’s Director Roster and received the 2018 John Brabourne Award for IN OUR BLOOD to support script completion.

Stephanie recently wrapped principal photography on comedy horror HOUSE HACK under her banner FORGE FLIMS, which she founded in 2017. She is the Creator, Director and EP of the live-action interactive feature which was commissioned by Whatifi, the social story-hacking platform for original interactive films. The film features Ann Akin, Amer Chadha Patel, Jenny Funnell and introduces newcomer Amanda Shodeko. Shot in Estonia in 2020, it will release on mobile and tablet platforms in January 2021.

ZEBRA GIRL starring Jade Anouka, Tom Cullen and Sarah Roy is Stephanie’s debut feature which she also Co-Produced alongside Roy’s 19th Street Productions. She further developed the screen story from the critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Festival play ‘Catherine & Anita’. The film secured sales representation with AMP International and set for release in 2021.

Stephanie’s shorts have achieved festival, critical, online and broadcast success screening at OSCAR, BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festivals worldwide. She received the PIA PRESSURE NEW VOICES Award for her film BEING KEEGAN starring Stephen Graham. The film was championed and supported by BAFTA and OSCAR winning post-production teams at Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post, Company 3 and Goldcrest and went on to win multiple awards. The film is now streaming in the US and UK on Amazon Prime.

Her short film MARIGOLDS was acquired and broadcast on BBC HD Shorts and won Best Director at Underwire Film Festival. Her second short film DAWN starring Edward Hogg and Keeley Forsyth was BAFTA long-listed in 2014. Both films are now streaming on Wilde TV.

Stephanie has over 20 years industry experience. Having started as an actress, she subsequently forged a successful career as a Promo/Shorts Producer and First Assistant Director in between making her own films, working with top tier talent, broadcasters and production companies over the last 10 years including BBC, CH5, Netflix and Sky.

Stephanie is a member of WGGB, Director’s UK and Cinesisters and holds dual UK/US citizenship.