Stefan Lysenko is a

Ukrainian American Ukrainian Americans are Americans who are of full or partial Ukrainians, Ukrainian ancestry. According to U.S. census estimates, in 2021 there were 1,017,586 Americans of Ukrainian descent representing 0.3% of the American population. The Ukr ...

film maker.

Career

Lysenko was brought up in California. During the 20 years after traveling the world in 1988/89, he became an actor, writer, editor, director and

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is film production, produced outside the Major film studios, major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independ ...

maker. In the early 1990s he studied acting at the Playhouse West School and Repertory Theatre. After appearing in a number of New York productions, "Twilight Cafe" EST Theatre New York 1993 and "The Seagull" Actors Theatre, New York 1993. He studied at the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method actin ...

under the tutelage of

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American film actress whose career spanned seven decades. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ' ...

. In 1995, he played in ''Broadway Bound'' at

Lonny Chapman Lon Leonard Chapman (October 1, 1920 – October 12, 2007) was an American actor best known for his numerous guest star appearances on television drama series. Early years Chapman was the son of Elmer and Eunice Chapman, He was born on Oc ...

's Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre in Los Angeles. Lysenko acted in the films ''Mafia!, The Last Will'', ''Interceptors'', and ''The Stray''. In 2000, under his own ''Bliss Productions'', he wrote, produced and directed a feature-length film, ''Between Christmas & New Year's''; the script improvised, and the film shot on

16mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical Film gauge, gauge of Photographic film, film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 mm film, 8 mm and 35mm movie film, 35 mm. It ...

over 7 days for less than $5,000. Lysenko is currently in pre-production on his fourth independent feature film.

Personal life

Lysenko is the only son of Leonid Lysenko, an American

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

veteran, and E. Contreras Lysenko of

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

, and is married to Sophie Moine Lysenko, a graduate of

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

. In 1999, he opened his own ''Bliss Art House Café'' at N. Vine Street, Hollywood, which attracted writers, artists, singers, poets, and comedians, and was used for daily

Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led Mutual aid, mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anon ...

meetings. In 2009, he ran for the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

in California's 32nd district. He came 10th out of 12 candidates with 247 votes (0.5% share).California 32nd district House of Representatives results, 2009
retrieved 15 March 2011 Lysenko graduated in

Business Management Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

from

San Jose State University San José State University (San Jose State or SJSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the List of oldest schools in California, oldest public university on the West Coast of ...

, and studied on a 1-year master's degree in Conflict Resolution at

Antioch University Antioch University is a private university with multiple campuses in the United States and online programs. It is the continuation of Antioch College, which was founded in 1852. Antioch College's first president was politician, abolitionist, and ...

College.

Film credits

*2010: ''A Moral Man... Amongst Paradoxical Leaders'' (drama short) – Role: Voice (Bliss Productions). *2009: ''Life Is Like a Short Train Ride'' (video short) – Role: Spirit (Bliss Productions). *2009: ''Trasharella'' – Role: Hilgard Osenfuer (Rena Riffel Films, Torture Chamber Studio, Trashterpiece Horror Theater). *2008: ''The Other Side of the Coin'' (animation short) – Role: Guard (voice). *2007: ''Starting from Scratch'' – Role: Mitch (Bliss Productions). *2004: ''La dentista'' (short) – Role: La Dentista (Duct Taped King Productions). *2003: ''Dark Waters'' (video) – Role: Captain Yarborough. *2003: ''Shark Zone'' (video) – Role: Jordan (Martien Holdings A.V.V., Nu Image Films). *2003: '' Chooch'' – Role: Billy Del Nino (Bacchus Films, Fruitbasket Films). *2002: ''Unstable Minds'' – Role: Billy (B and O Films, Seven Light Films). *2001: ''The Last Will'' – Role: Sal (Global Film, Hrvatska Radiotelevizija (HRT). *2000: ''The Stray'' – Role: Gil Draper (PM Entertainment Group). *1999: ''Alien Interceptors'' – Role: Rosario ( Unified Film Organization (UFO), Interceptors Productions Inc). *1998: ''Jane Austen's Mafia!'' – Role: Ruffo (Tapestry Films, Touchstone Pictures). *1998: ''No Rest for the Wicked'' – Role: Father William (Skyline Productions Inc). *1998: ''Vermin'' – Role: Duke (Arroz Con Pollo Productions, Igneous Films). *1996: ''South Bureau Homicide'' (short) – Role: Brad Colby (Noche Entertainment). *1994: ''Love Affair'' – Role: Russian Sailor (Mulholland Productions). *1989: ''Danger Zone II: Reaper's Revenge'' – Role: Airport Cop.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lysenko, Stefan Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Film directors from California San Jose State University alumni