Benjamin Stephen has spent over a decade as a Producer and Development Executive with industry leading production companies, striving to blend culturally impactful storytelling with premium entertainment value to bring to life compelling films and series rooted in real-world stories. In past roles at Pantheon Media Group, Pulse Films, and as a freelancer, Benjamin has developed and produced projects for streamers and networks like Vice, Netflix, History, Discovery, CNN and Oprah Winfrey Network. SHATTERED ICE is his first scripted feature film as a producer, and he is currently focused on building an independent slate of social impact-driven films and documentaries.
Please List the Title of Your Film at BIFF 2025
Shattered Ice (Producer)
What was your first experience with film and how did it influence your first project?
I grew up watching VHS tapes of Disney, Spielberg, Star Wars, and action movies. It was only fitting that my very first credit as an Associate Producer was on a nerdy bar trivia game show called “Geeks Who Drink” which aired on the SyFy network.
Who is (are) your favorite filmmakers?
While there is still a soft spot in my heart for big studio directors, I have grown to love filmmakers who can challenge and surprise the audience while creating authentic worlds and characters. Bong Joon-Ho, Quentin Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, Robert Eggers, Jordan Peele, Denis Villeneuve, Paul Thomas Anderson, Stanley Kubrick are among my favorites. My documentary idols are Errol Morris, Werner Hertzog, Alex Gibney, and Lance Oppenheim.
What are you working on that no one knows about?
A documentary about a musician who performed at the original Woodstock, whose legacy has been long overlooked.
Who would play you in a movie? What’s your go to movie snack? What’s the film title that best describes your life?
Seth Rogen, good humored and always slightly anxious. Good, old-fashioned movie theater popcorn. “Do the Right Thing”
