Steven Markowitz

Steven Markowitz, a dreamer from the dreary suburbs of New Jersey, grew up writing chapters of novels he would never finish and drawing science fiction comic books. He holds an MFA at the USC School of Cinematic Arts for Film Production, where he focused on the crafts of directing, writing, and editing. Throughout his time at USC, Steven worked to blend the mediums of live action and animation, diving into the imagination of his characters and taking audiences to unseen worlds. He holds a BFA in Animation from the Rochester Institute of Technology and worked as a freelance animator and director in Los Angeles. His undergrad thesis film, Hands of Flame, tells his grandmother's story of survival within the gates of Auschwitz. Told entirely in silhouettes with no dialogue, the film captivated audiences, taking them on a beautiful and harrowing journey. The film won Best Animated Film at the 2014 Carmel International Film Festival and the 2015 New Hampshire Film Festival, as well as winning Audience Choice Award for Best Student Film from the 2015 Sedona International Film Festival and the 2015 New Hope Film Festival. The film won several other awards and played at numerous festivals around the world.