Stephen Lowenstein
Directing
Biography
Stephen Lowenstein is a London-based filmmaker and author whose career spans television documentaries and short narrative films. His directing credits include The Key, The Man Who Held His Breath, and Queen of Spain, with some of these works receiving theatrical release and festival recognition. In addition to his filmmaking, he authored "My First Movie," a compilation of interviews with directors discussing the challenges and discoveries of their first features. His work reflects an ongoing engagement with both practical and reflective aspects of filmmaking.
Known For
After his girlfriend Lulu rejects his marriage proposal and questions their relationship, Oscar is left devastated and unsure how to respond. Acting on the idea that love can conquer all, he takes an unusual step: diving into a closed swimming pool and refusing to surface until she comes to see him. As morning arrives and he is discovered still alive, his silent act becomes a test of devotion.
The Man Who Held His Breath
"The Key" is a 1995 British short film written and directed by Stephen Lowenstein, with a cast including James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Emer McCourt, and Andrew Rashleigh. It was the filmmaker’s first short and later received a London release as a supporting film.
The Key
Set on the eve of the First World War, the film follows a young boy who discovers a Queen of Spain fritillary, one of the rarest butterflies ever seen in the British Isles. His encounter reflects early 20th-century attitudes toward butterfly collecting. The story draws on the natural history of a species rarely recorded in Britain.