Asaf Epstein ( he, אסף אפשטיין; born August 1, 1978) is an

Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...

film director, writer and producer.

Biography

Asaf Epstein was born in Israel on August 1, 1978, to Lea and Hanan Epstein. He is the older brother of Efrat and Roni Epstein. When he was a young boy, the family relocated to Fort Worth, Texas, where Epstein attended a private Jewish school. The family then relocated back to the town of Modiin in Israel. There, he attended junior high school. In 1995, the family relocated back to the United States and settled in Dallas, Texas, where Epstein attended

J. J. Pearce High School J. J. Pearce High School is a high school located in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is named after Joseph Jones “J.J.” Pearce, the superintendent for the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) from 1946 to 1977. In 2018, it had an ...

Richardson Richardson may refer to: People * Richardson (surname), an English and Scottish surname * Richardson Gang, a London crime gang in the 1960s * Richardson Dilworth, Mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962) Places Australia * Richardson, Australian Cap ...

. During his early twenties, Epstein left his family in the United States and relocated back to Israel on his own to enlist in the Israeli Defense Forces, where he took on a desk job in the Air Force. In the early 2000s, Epstein enrolled to study

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

at Tel Aviv University.

Career

After graduating from university, Epstein produced independent corporate promotional clips making use of various animated elements. In 2008, he took part in the production of two Israeli films; ''The Other War'', a drama set in Tel-Aviv during the second Lebanon war, and ''Jaffawiye'', a documentary about the multicultural hip-hop band ''System Ali''. In 2010, Epstein produced ''Mother's Fading'', a short film drama about the complex relationship between a mother and her son. In 2011, he began production on his award-winning sci-fi, thriller comedy

short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

entitled '' Schnitzel,'' which he wrote, produced and directed. ''Schnitzel'' tells the tale of a young teenage boy and his encounter with an extra terrestrial being which has taken the form of a schnitzel. In a 2016 interview, Epstein remarked that ''Schnitzel'' was inspired by

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...

's ''E.T.'', and his experience of being an "awkward and goofy kid being uncomfortable in his own skin" and a school field trip during which he and his classmates were given schnitzels for lunch. In July 2014, he released ''Schnitzel'' which earned him numerous awards at festivals around the world including ''Best International Film'' at the South Carolina Cultural Film Festival, ''Best Science Fiction Film'' at the Hyart Film Festival and ''Best International Coming-of-Age'' at the Manhattan Film Festival in 2015. Later that year, he would go on to win ''Best Producer of a Foreign Language Film'' at the Madrid International Film Festival.

Filmography

External links

* * *
Asaf Epstein
podcast from the ''Madrid International Film Festival'' *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Epstein, Asaf 1978 births Living people Film people from Tel Aviv Israeli film directors Israeli film producers Israeli filmmakers Israeli male screenwriters Tel Aviv University alumni Place of birth missing (living people)