I’m back in New York after a long, exhilarating work trip that took me to Bucharest, Berlin and Leipzig, and am eager to share a few exciting updates on projects I’m involved in -

BLISS.JPG premiered at Bucharest International Experimental FF – now on to Tacoma, Light Matter and beyond!

My new short film, co-directed with Emily Rose Apter, premiered at the end of September at BIEFF in an incredible program. It was such an honor to attend the festival, meet other filmmakers and share the film with audiences.

BLISS.JPG is a 16mm travelog through the familiar and unfamiliar terrain of digital landscapes, excavating the geological and geographical sites that produce our virtual worlds.

The film just played at Tacoma and will head to Light Matter in a few weeks, with more festivals + screenings to come!

New projects in development for National Geographic with Sara Dosa and Shane Boris!

It’s been so incredible to work with Sara and Shane on THE SEER AND THE UNSEEN (2019) and FIRE OF LOVE (2022), and I feel very grateful for the opportunity to continue working with this team.

You can read more about the films, Sara and Shane’s first look deal with National Geographic, and our production company, Signpost Pictures, over at Deadline here.

KING COAL heads to Europe in the Opus Bonum competition at Ji.hlava

Elaine Sheldon’s KING COAL, which I associate produced, will have its European premiere at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival in the Opus Bonum competition!

The film has been screening at theaters across the US, particularly in Appalachia, to incredible audience reception, as well as continuing to play festivals, including upcoming screenings at New Orleans Film Festival, IDA Fall Docs, Cucalorus, and others. I’m so excited for the film’s journey to expand beyond the US, and connect with people across the world whose communities and landscapes have been transformed by extraction. You can check out the film’s website for more info on upcoming screenings.

I also encourage checking out two great pieces of writing on the film - an essay on Appalachian mythology in Oxford American and a deep dive on the archival materials and how they made their way into the film.

After premiering at Venice and Telluride, Ibrahim Nash’at’s HOLLYWOODGATE, which I associate produced, was awarded the top prize in the Focus competition at the Zurich Film Festival. The film, which follows the Taliban at a former CIA base for a year following the US withdrawal, was praised by the jury for exposing “a shocking world that is otherwise inaccessible.”

HOLLYWOODGATE’s festival run continues, with more upcoming screenings to be announced soon. For now, check out an interview with Ibrahim from Zurich here.

BARBARA HAMMER PROJECT awarded Hulu/Kartemquin Accelerator, pitches at DOK Leipzig and Ji.hlava

Brydie O’Connor’s BARBARA HAMMER PROJECT, which I’m producing, and which explores the life, legacy and work of lesbian experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer, was just awarded the Hulu/Kartemquin Accelerator Fund. We’re so excited to bring Kartemquin Films on board as a co-producing partner, and are incredibly grateful for the production grant and first-look opportunity that comes with this support. 

We’ve also had the opportunity to bring the film to more European markets this fall. After pitching at DocsBarcelona in May, we just attended the DOK Leipzig Co-Pro Market, and will be participating in Ji.hlava’s New Vision Forum in a few weeks. It’s been fantastic to connect with the European film industry, and we’re excited about potential international collaboration on this film!

Emilia Mello’s next film awarded Sundance Sandbox Fund production grant

Brazilian director Emilia Mello’s next project, which I’m producing, has been awarded a production grant from Sundance Institute and Sandbox Films, as part of a cohort of films highlighting diversity in science. This Brazilian, US and Belgian co-production follows a young chemistry student contemplating the nature of black holes.

New work selected for Niels Bohr Institute’s STRONG Arts and Science Residency

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been selected for the STRONG Arts and Science Residency at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. Through this residency, I will collaborate with the institute’s research group investigating gravity, black holes and gravitational waves, and create a new film work. I’m looking forward to continuing to explore themes of space and time through experimental nonfiction film.

Thanks so much for reading!

All the best,
Elijah Stevens