Stephen Nagel

Captivating characters and powerful visuals, that's what defines the filmmaking style of this classically trained, award-winning screenwriter and director from Cape Town, South Africa. As a kid with a big imagination, he found escape from the crushing sameness of late-2000s South Africa by frequenting the local cinema and writing his own adventure stories. Inspired to become a filmmaker, Stephen dedicated himself to learning the rules, so that he could break them. His body of work includes films MIA&I, Day Zero, Breath Easy (Detour) and Protégé, with several features and TV shows in development. These eclectic stories have authentic human experiences at the core, filled with complex themes and ideas. Stephen writes and directs character-driven stories in the science fiction, drama, fantasy and comedy genres and has a keen interest in earnest characters who have something to prove to themselves and the world.