Steven Bognar

B.F.A., Motion Pictures, 1986

Over the years, Steve Bognar has worked as a dishwasher, farmhand, delivery driver, busboy, movie projectionist, grip, sound recordist and cinematographer. Since 1988, he has worked in schools throughout Ohio as an artist in residence for the Ohio Arts Council and the Muse Machine. He is also an award-winning independent filmmaker of both documentaries and dramatic films. He writes screenplays and produces, directs, shoots and edits his films. Four of his films have had their world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and have screened at festivals worldwide.†

Steve's first film, Personal Belongings, won top prizes at the San Francisco, Atlanta, Charlotte and Ann Arbor Film Festivals. His film, Picture Day, won Best Short Documentary at the Florida Film Festival, and his film, Gravel, won Best Short Film at the Nashville Film Festival. His most recent film, A Lion in the House, made with Julia Reichert, won numerous awards at film festivals around the world.†

Steve's films have also been viewed by millions in their national broadcasts on PBS, the Sundance Channel, the Independent Film Channel and in a dozen other countries. His films have also screened at top museums around the world, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Te PaPa Museum in Wellington, New Zealand and the Institute of Contemporary Art in London. He is the 2006 recipient of the Ohio Governor's Award in the Arts for Individual Artist, the state's highest honor in the arts.