Steven Cantor
Steven Cantor is an American film/television director and film/television producer. Seven of his films have been nominated for Emmy Awards, with one winning, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his first film. Notable works include the films Tent City, USA, Unraveled, No One Dies in Lily Dale, Reporter with Nicholas Kristof, I Am an Animal, ', loudQUIETloud: A Film about Pixies, American Masters: Willie Nelson, Devil's Playground, ', and "Dancer."
Cantor also directed and executive produced the HBO series Family Bonds, and has executive produced numerous other television series through his Stick Figure Productions banner.
In 2017, Cantor released "STEP" with Fox Searchlight Pictures, documenting the senior year of a girls' high-school step dance team against the background of inner-city Baltimore.
Bio
Cantor graduated from the USC School of Cinema-Television. He is the founder of NY based Stick Figure Productions, which he ran for 12 years, prior to selling it in 2013 to Ora, the digital network owned by Carlos Slim Helu. In 2016, Cantor reacquired the company from the Slims and is now once again the sole proprietor.Film
' Director/Producer: Nominated for a 1994 Academy Award in the category of Best Short Subject Documentary; examines renowned photographer Sally Mann's pictures of her children.Devil's Playground Producer: Nominated for an Emmy; explores the supposed tradition in Amish culture called Rumspringa; the film follows several Amish teenagers who leave their communities to explore the non-Amish world. At some point they must decide whether to commit to the strict rules of the Amish Church, or leave their families behind to join "English" society. The film spawned a reality series, "Amish in the City", which Cantor's Stick Figure banner executive produced, as well as a non-fiction book Rumspringa by Tom Shachtman.
"American Masters: Willie Nelson: Still is Still Moving" – Director/Producer: An inside look at an American icon as he deals with two families, his relations and his nearly lifelong bandmates.
' Director/Producer: Studies a further project of Mann’s, a provocative photo series exploring the way in which nature assimilates the body once life has left it, directly confronting American attitudes towards death. The film screened first at The Sundance Film Festival in 2006 before premiering on HBO.
loudQUIETloud Director/Producer: Follows the ups and downs of alternative music group The Pixies in their unexpected reformation and the reunion tour.
"I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA" Producer: A candid and introspective look at the extreme beliefs and motives of Ingrid Newkirk, the British-born co-founder and driving force behind People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the world's largest animal-rights organization.
"Reporter" Producer: Follows journalist Nicholas Kristof to the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the growing humanitarian crisis.
No One Dies in Lily Dale Director/Producer: Explores the idyllic community of Lily Dale, a small town boasting the world's largest concentration of mediums.
Unraveled Producer: Scrutinizes prominent lawyer Marc Dreier's financial crimes, and depicts his struggle to come to terms with the aftermath of his actions.
"Tent City, U.S.A." Producer/Director: A look at a homeless community in Nashville, Tennessee.
"Chasing Tyson" Producer/Director: Evander Holyfield's career defining quest for respectability by beating his notorious rival.
"Dancer" Director: The life of talented but controversial ballet phenom, Sergei Polunin.
STEP Producer: Documents the senior year of a girls' high-school step dance team against the background of inner-city Baltimore.
Between Me and My Mind Director/Producer: A documentary about Phish frontman Trey Anastasio.
What Will Become of Us Director: A documentary about Sir Frank Lowy, the self-made billionaire and founder of Westfield Corporation.
Television
Family Bonds Director, Executive Producer: explores the lives of the Evangelistas, a family of bail bondsmen and bounty hunters in Long Island.#1 Single Executive Producer: documents the dating life of singer Lisa Loeb.
Executive Producer: Documents the life and Baby Phat fashion empire of former model Kimora Lee Simmons.
"Amish: Out of Order" Executive Producer: Documents Mose Gingerich, an Ex-Amish man living in Missouri, and the group of Ex-Amish youths he guides and helps to adapt to English society.
"American Gypsies" Executive Producer: An unprecedented look into the clandestine world of gypsies, through the eyes of one of the most powerful families in New York, the Johns Family.
"Catching Hell" Executive Producer: A team of underwater spear fishermen battle the challenges of the seas, while trying to eke out a living.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | ' | Director/Producer | Nominated — Academy Award for Best Documentary |
| 1996 | Recon | Director/Producer | |
| 2000 | Bounce: Behind the Velvet Rope | Director/Producer | |
| 2001 | Crossover | Producer | |
| 2002 | Devil's Playground | Producer | Nominated — Emmy Award |
| 2002 | Willie Nelson: Still is Still Moving | Director/Producer | Won — Emmy Award |
| 2003 | The AMC Project | Executive Producer | |
| 2004 | Slasher | Producer | |
| 2004 | Amish in the City | Executive Producer | |
| 2004 | Family Bonds | Executive Producer | Nominated — Emmy Award |
| 2005 | ' | Director/Producer | Nominated — Emmy Award |
| 2005 | The Biz | Executive Producer | |
| 2006 | #1 Single | Executive Producer | |
| 2006 | loudQUIETloud: A film about the Pixies | Director/Producer | |
| 2007 | James Blunt in Kosovo | Director/Producer | |
| 2007 | I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA | Producer | |
| 2007–2008 | Executive Producer | ||
| 2009 | Reporter | Producer | Nominated — Emmy Award |
| 2009 | Inside: Night Shift – Repo Men | Executive Producer | |
| 2009 | Guardian Angels | Executive Producer | |
| 2009–2010 | Repossessed! | Executive Producer | |
| 2010 | Amish at the Altar | Executive Producer | |
| 2010 | Amish: Out of the Order | Executive Producer | |
| 2011 | Tent City, U.S.A. | Producer | |
| 2011 | No One Dies in Lily Dale | Producer | Nominated — Emmy Award |
| 2011 | Unraveled | Producer | |
| 2012 | Amish: Out of Order | Executive Producer | |
| 2012 | American Gypsies | Executive Producer | |
| 2012 | American Gypsies | Executive Producer | |
| 2014 | Catching Hell | Executive Producer | |
| 2015 | Chasing Tyson | Director | |
| 2016 | Dancer | Director | |
| 2017 | STEP | Producer | |
| 2018 | Ballet Now | Director | |
| 2019 | Between Me and My Mind | Director | |
| 2019 | What Will Become of Us | Director |