Steve Hanft

Steve Hanft is an American independent film director.

Hanft started making films at the age of 13 growing up in Ventura, California. His first works were surf films and nature films, then later became Dali-influenced. As a young man Steve was accepted to California Institute of the Arts where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree. There he learned from teachers like James Benning, and visiting artists like Monte Hellman, and Stan Brakhage. While at Cal Arts Steve won several grants including the Kodak Cinematography Award, and the Princess Grace Film Grant. But the grants weren't quite enough to pay for the amount of 16 mm film he was shooting. So Hanft went ahead and opened a casino, "Festival of Sin" in the school basement, where he held dances, live entertainment, and gambling. It wasn't long before "Festival of Sin" became a happening nightclub. With the casino cash flowing Steve was able to shoot several films there including his masters thesis "Kill the Moonlight". The film was an experimental narrative with non actors in the leading roles, but very original, sort of an existential study of a loser race car driver called "Chance".

As a professional, "non slack" director Hanft has been working non stop for the past fifteen years and has directed over seventy music videos including ones for the Cure, Stone Roses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ4jjfXh_kA, Delinquent Habits, Primal Scream, and Spoon. He still directs music videos but lately has been focusing on directing films including "Southlander", "Strange Parallel", and a new documentary feature entitled "Return of the Rub-a-Dub Style". As of late Steve has also been producing and starring in short internet films including the hit Cannes Film Festival Bronze Lion Winner "Guy Catches Glasses With Face"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-prfAENSh2k, and most recently Steve acted the lead "Indecisive Customer" in a Lexus TV commercial directed by his friend Ben Kaller. On May 22, 2008 Steve (I and I) released a third musical album, a collaboration with April March entitled "Magic Monsters."