Stefan Forbes is an award-winning American documentary film director and founder of socially conscious production company InterPositive Media.
His first feature film was the 2008 documentary film Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story, about the life of political operative Lee Atwater. Co-produced by Tia Wou, Boogie Man played at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, played in 40 U.S. cities theatrically, debuted at #8 in the nationwide box-office charts in per-screen average, and was broadcast on PBS’s Frontline, the BBC’s Storyville, the CBC, and other networks worldwide. It was a Critic’s Pick in The Washington Post, New York Times, and London Sunday Times, and received an editorial in The New York Times on the film’s relevance to the 2008 Presidential election.
The Washington Post calls it “One of the greatest political films ever” and says “There is more than one moment in this film that will likely pop your jaw open…Wow.” Rolling Stone called it “A must-see”. The New York Daily News wrote “Honestly, every adult in America should see it before casting another vote.” The New York Times says “This riveting film is generous in spirit and nimble in technique.” Roger Ebert calls Boogie Man “a remarkable portrait…heartbreaking.”
Boogie Man won the 2009 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Documentary, the George S. Polk Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Chris Award at the Columbus International Film Festival, and was nominated for the 2008 WGA Award for Best Theatrical Documentary.
Forbes also directed the award-winning one-hour documentary One More Dead Fish, about environmentally friendly handline fishermen in Canada who seized a federal building and barricaded themselves inside for 26 days. Historian Howard Zinn called it “powerful”. CBC commentator Avi Lewis says it “unfolds like a thriller…a compelling film, filled with dignity, heartbreak, and hope.” The Detroit News calls One More Dead Fish “inspiring”, filmmaker Ken Loach says it is “an excellent film”, and the Sierra Club says “Occasionally jaw-dropping and often heartwrenching.”
Forbes is a 2006 New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow and serves on their Artists Advisory Board. He is a winner of the International Documentary Association’s Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Filmmaker Award. He has spoken on film at many American universities and industry panels such as Digital Hollywood, and served on juries at Silverdocs and on the Nominating Committee for the Independent Spirit Awards.
InterPositive Media has produced award-winning national PSA campaigns featuring Stanley Tucci, U2’s The Edge, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Bacon, Charlize Theron, Mike Myers, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Broderick, Mario Batali, and others. Our Emmy-nominated awareness campaigns for the Food Bank of New York City have played on all the networks and the Reuters billboard in Times Square.
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