Stephanie Angel is a twenty-three year old writer and director and an ISE-NY volunteer.  The short film she wrote, "Tree of Life," was her directorial debut which recently screened at the Westchester film festival on March 10th.

"It was such an incredible experience to start off with a vision which came from two re-occurring dreams I had.  All of the stages of preproduction, production and post production were both learning experiences as well as confirmations that this is what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. Nothing is more beautiful than to make a spiritual film and to see its effect on someone else's heart. Seeing "Tree of Life" on the big screen, in a sold out theater, surrounded by the people who made it possible along with others whom I had never met before sent the chills through me."

Along with many treatments, Stephanie has also written a feature length script that she plans to direct in the near future.  Over the past couple of years, Stephanie has been the script supervisor on five feature films; her first as a trainee on "The Bridge of San Luis Rey," starring Robert De Niro, Kathy Bates, Harvey Keitel and F. Murray Abraham.  Prior to that, she was a casting assistant on the A&E television series "100 Centre Street," directed by Sidney Lumet and a production assistant on "The Believer," the Grand Jury Prize winner at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001.  

In 2003, Stephanie received a B.A. from Muhlenberg College, where she was on the Dean's List.  While there, she self-designed two majors, "Film Expression" and "Spiritual Thought."

"I always knew I had to carve my own path, despite the challenges along the way and those that probably lie ahead.  It's always worth it in the long run.  After meeting Stephen Simon and being a part of ISE-NY I have come realize that others have also been carving there own spiritual paths and now it's time to come together as a more powerful force.  I plan to help develop an outreach program and to continue to create spiritual films that will hopefully inspire others."

When Stephanie was seven years old, her younger sister passed away.  Her sister's spirit guides Stephanie to follow her heart. "My sister showed me that love is that connection between souls that is everlasting. Love doesn't die. Love is my motivator and my drive, my reason for writing and directing films.  A great film is a vision, a vision that manifests before one's eye and becomes another's inspiration; one by one, we awaken to a truth long forgotten.  That is my goal as a person and a filmmaker."

"Tree of Life" is a short film that deals with the fears we create within ourselves that block us from living fully.  When Stacy the protagonist decides to transform that fear into love, she returns to life, this time with a brighter soul." 

* for further information please contact Stephanie@ISE-NY.org

"Tree of Life"
(Poem at end of short)

I chose this life
Despite the strife
I hid in my fears
In nightmares I lived
Lived so small
Fell into a hole
Only to know
I had a long way to go
Splash there I went
Into a new world I crashed
Immortality of my soul
Was what I chose
So I breathed again
This time
Filled with Love