Stephen Soucy is a film producer and director at Modernist | Film. Current projects include MERCHANT IVORY, a documentary feature executive produced by Charles S. Cohen and Academy Award-winning director and screenwriter, James Ivory. MERCHANT IVORY will be distributed by Cohen Media Group, with a theatrical release in the U.S and the U.K. in 2024. Next projects in development include: the short film, REGGIE ROSE, adapted from a story by David Ebershoff, and a narrative feature, ORIENTATION, a coming of age story set in upstate New York the summer of 1987. When not making films, Stephen produces theater. He is co-lead producer of the West End and Broadway-bound, ROMY AND MICHELE THE MUSICAL and has been on the producing teams of CAKE: THE MARIE ANTOINETTE PLAYLIST (West End), LIFE OF PI (B’way), THE BOYS IN THE BAND (B’way), and PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT (Los Angeles).
What it the title of your film in BIFF 2024?
MERCHANT IVORY
What was your first experience with film and how did it influence your first project?
Of course I engaged with film before seeing A ROOM WITH A VIEW and MAURICE, but these two film viewing experiences in the 1980’s set me on my path to film school (LA City College and the University of Southern California) and were huge influences on my making the MERCHANT IVORY doc. A ROOM WITH A VIEW showed me that low budget film making could be beautiful and that an “art house” film could conquer the box office. MAURICE changed my life, as a young gay teen living in upstate New York. MAURICE was hope and so influential to my wanting to learn more about the filmmaking team, James Ivory and Ismail Merchant.
Who is (are) your favorite filmmakers?
James Ivory, Joseph L Mankiewicz, Billy Wilder, Satyajit Ray, Kristoff Kieslowski, Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Alex Garland
What are you working on that no one knows about?
ORIENTATION is an independent feature film that I’m producing/directing. Production will be set up in upstate New York summer 2024.
Synopsis: At the height of the Reagan 80’s, in July 1987, Drew Maxwell arrives at his 4-day Freshman Orientation with a group of incoming first-year students at an affluent and progressive liberal-arts college in upstate New York. A former friend from his high school years, Paul Warner, is also in the mix. Drew is gay, in the closet, and feels the intensity of societal, familial pressure, and the impact of the AIDS crisis. He has an uncle dying of AIDS. Drew is drawn to the arts (film, painting, collage) and obsessed with Andy Warhol. He has a knack for rolling out Warhol quotes in casual conversation. On campus, Resident Directors (the story is absent of adults – like Charlie Brown!) supervise the days on campus. There are team building and educational activities to prepare students for their transition to college. Drew finds instant connection with Reed, a junior and his Orientation Advisor. Via Reed’s mentorship and the impact of the week’s experiences, Drew encounters and embraces an incredible amount of life experience, finds himself, and navigates towards the next chapter in his personal journey.
Who would play you in a movie? What’s your go to movie snack? What’s the film title that best describes your life?
Matt Damon would play Stephen Soucy (Ha!). RED HOTS and Sweet Tarts are my go to movie snacks. The Talented Mr. Ripley (joking, well, kind of).