Sophie Säther Mahfouf

BIOGRAPHIE

A recent graduate of the Master's programme at the Stockholm University of the Arts, with a directing and acting focus, Sophie is a half Swedish and half Moroccan director, actor, writer and producer. Raised on Gotland, the island made internationally known by Ingmar Bergman, Sophie grew up dancing, singing, acting, writing and more. After a year abroad in France at the age of 16, through an exchange program, Sophie moved to Santa Barbara (US) to pursue studies of acting and directing, and extra classes in political science and humanities right after high school. After a transfer to Binghamton University, New York (US) Sophie has been in the theatre and film industry since 2010 in various roles. Starting out mainly as an actress with over 50 projects to her name, it is the actors and the characters that is her starting approach to all storytelling whether it be as a director, writer or producer. Recent writing, producing and directing projects include the comedy-drama "Who Did It" (a modern take on the noir era murder mystery, rooted in relationships, norms and trust), the drama "A New Life" (a sort of contemplative slow cinema inspired short film filmed in her native Gotland) and the comedy-drama "Ibland är du ett sånt jävla ägg" (Sometimes you're such a darn egg) which follows the adventurous desperation of the final five eggs inside Magdalena's womb as they are on a quest to survive beyond the womb). She has also directed and produced the music video Weeds, a dance based exploration in Death Valley for Swedish-American artist Clara Strauch, commercials, and produced music videos for international artists such as Darin (Superstar) and LÉON (Fade into a dream). On top of these she has written, directed and produced for the stage such as the comedy-drama, fantasy and history show En av Oss (One of Us) for the Gotland medieval week, as well as stage pieces at the Manhattan Rep (NYC, US), and produced and directed pieces such as La Vita È Bella (a stage adaptation of the Oscar winning film), Miss Julie, and much more. As an actor, Sophie is a SAG-E actor who's worked internationally as a dancer and singer at operas, touring in musicals such as "A Chorus Line", in modern pieces touring the pulitzer winning "Disgraced", working Off-Broadway in Shakespeare productions such as Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Measure for Measure, Henri IV, as well as at the Producer's Club (Off-Broadway) as an improv/sketch-actor. As well as guest roles on shows like Orange is the New Black (Netflix), Kevin Can Wait (CBS), Master of None (Netflix), a CBS Pilot directed by Richard Shepherd (30 Rock), and pilots, short films, and much more! Beyond building her own film productions from her acting plus producing experience, training (BA and MA) and education it has been a broadening directing experience through the acting experience, learning from her work and directors for film, TV and theatre. Both in directing actors and the ensemble as well as observing the director's work on set with the crew. These insights have led to striving to build creative, freeing, open and respectful production that puts forward team work and collaboration, inclusion and respect for the environment. The three short films of 2023 are Sophie's debut to the film festival experience and is very excited and curious to learn and see a lot of intriguing projects. An experience she enters with wonder both as a friend of film and the arts.

FILMOGRAPHIE