Stefan Forbes is a multiple Emmy-nominated writer and director represented by The Gersh Agency. He often researches, directs, shoots, and edits his own work, which addresses issues of race, class, masculinity, violence in America, and restorative justice.
Mr. Forbes’ hard-hitting documentary Hold Your Fire is about a legendary Brooklyn hostage siege and the birth of hostage negotiation. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was released theatrically across America by IFC. A critical rave at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, The NY Times called it “audacious…a jaw-dropper” and the Hollywood Reporter deemed it “searing…urgently needed.”
Hold Your Fire won the Library of Congress Better Angels Award, a Doc NYC Grand Jury Prize, and was nominated for an Emmy and the Humanitas Prize. It was produced by Mr. Forbes, Fab Five Freddy, Tia Wou, Amir Soltani, and Sam Pollard.
Mr. Forbes also directed the doc Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story, about how controversial operative Lee Atwater reshaped the GOP. Produced with Noland Walker, Boogie Man played at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and played 40 U.S. cities theatrically. It was a Critic’s Pick in The Washington Post, New York Times, and London Sunday Times. The Washington Post calls it “One of the greatest political movies ever”.
Boogie Man won the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Documentary, the George S. Polk Award for Excellence in Journalism, the IDA Emerging Filmmaker Award, and was nominated for the WGA Award for Best Theatrical Documentary.
This film plumbs the darkness of America, finding difficult yet transformative truths. David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun wrote: “This finely crafted political biography dissects and explains the nastiness of US politics during the past three decades like nothing I have read or viewed. It nails down every claim it makes."
Collaborating with Grammy-nominated composer John Beasley, Forbes wrote and directed Monk Recut, featuring recut film of American composer Thelonious Monk in rhythmic, visual, and harmonic interplay with the big band MONK’estra. It premiered at the LA Philharmonic at Disney Hall in 2018. Noted Monk biographer Robin D.G. Kelley termed the work “fabulous…breathtaking.”
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 to protest corporate destruction.
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.”
Stefan Forbes shot seven narrative feature films as a DP, directed and produced many music videos featuring artists such as Aaron Carter, George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic, Guru, and others, and written narrative feature film screenplays. He has spoken on film at universities and industry panels such as Digital Hollywood, and served on juries at Silverdocs and on the Nominating Committee for the Independent Spirit Awards.
Mr. Forbes is a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow and serves on their Artists Advisory Board. He has been awarded grants from the Cummings and Jerome, and LEF Foundations.
InterPositive has created Emmy-nominated national PSA campaigns featuring Stanley Tucci, U2’s The Edge, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Bacon, Charlize Theron, Mike Myers, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Broderick, and others. They have created media for The Posse Foundation, College Track, The International Rescue Committee, Huli Hawai’i, City Year, and Artists for Humanity about hunger in America, immigration rights, and voting in indigenous communities.