South African actor Stelio Savante is starring in three different films that are making news at the Berlin, Cannes and Madrid International film festivals. He also has large roles in an upcoming Lucky Luciano mini-series for AMC about the mafia, and in the National Geographic mini-series, American Genius. Three further films of his to be released later this year. Earlier this year Savante was seen in Berlins Golden Bear nominated Eisenstein In Guanajuato directed by BAFTA winner Peter Greenaway. The films world premier was well received by audience and critics alike. It will next be seen at the Hong Kong, Sydney and Istanbul film festivals. Savante portrays Hunter S. Kimbrough, the brother of Mary Sinclair who financed Eisensteins film at a time when the United States viewed him as a communist.
Savante also features in Check, Please! which has been officially selected for Cannes Court Metrage, the official competition for short films at Festival De Cannes. His lead role in Once We Were Slaves has netted him several best actor awards including at Best Shorts Competition, IndieFest, and in the Global Accolade Competition. Former award winners at Best Short include The Weinstein Company for Market Hours, and Oscar winning production Mr. Hublot from Laurent Witz from Luxembourg. Once We Were Slaves has been nominated for numerous awards at the Madrid International film festival.
Once We Were Slaves Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfNHgr2_FVU
He is also a supporting lead in the film Where The Road Runs Out, partially shot in Durban, and also on location in Rotterdam. And becoming the first feature to shoot in Equatorial Guinea. He recently discussed the film as part of the San Diego film festival panel alongside Josh Duhamel, Dennis Haysbert and Tom Berenger hosted by film Critic Jeffrey Lyons and Variety. The drama won best feature at San Diego film festival and has also been selected to the Sunscreen film festival (an official Academy Award qualifier), after screening at AFI Silver, Pan African film festival, Heartland film festival and Alhambra Theater film festival. It will also screen at Durban film festival later this year.
Where The Road Runs Out Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRy6-sO_-4s
This coming summer he will be seen starring in a slate of two new mini-series based on real life people. Firstly in The Making Of The Mob portraying Joe Masseria, former head of the Genovese Crime family on AMC and directed by Emmy Nominee John Ealer. The series was most recently announced by Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Also for National Geographic in American Genius portraying David Sarnoff who helped invent television and then forming RCA Corporation.
As a voice actor, he will be seen in the upcoming Unchartered 4: A Thiefs End, portraying a South African mercenary.
Unchartered 4: A Thiefs End long trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut4ICfFZPNc
He is also starring in three films scheduled for release in 2015. Pacific Standard Time opposite Alex Russell (Unbroken, Chronicle) and Willa Holland (Arrow) and Army Dog opposite Casper Van Dien. Finally in Windsor, which just won the best narrative feature award at Garden State film festival
http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2015/03/windsor-wins-best-narrative-featur...
Mostly known to South African audiences for portraying Major Dixon in the two time SAFTA winning A Million Colours (for which he has received outstanding reviews) Savante left South Africa in very early 1990 and theres been no looking back.
A Million Colours Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSdZHoRdQxE
Savantes previous and early career credits include roles in Ron Howards Oscar winning A Beautiful Mind, the Emmy & Golden Globe winning Law & Order SVU series, Sopranos, Law & Order Criminal Intent, Without A Trace, NCIS, & roles in two J.J Abrams series in Person Of Interest and Undercovers. Recurring roles on Guiding Light, All My Children and My Own Worst Enemy. He was also cast as a lead and series regular in the Terminal Kill pilot:
Terminal Kill Teaser: https://vimeo.com/28283096
In feature films, an ensemble lead role in Sonys Starship Troopers Marauder and 6th billing in 20th Centurys Foxs My Super Ex Girlfriend. Roles in over 15 award winning and distributed independent American films including Awakend, Astoria, Bad Ass, Jimmy, Live Fast Die Young, Stealing Roses, The Secret Village, The Shift and What If. On stage, leading roles in highly acclaimed and award winning plays through a two decade Broadway and Off Broadway career that includes strong reviews from the NY Times, The Daily News, and interviews with Playbill and Broadway World.
But it was his leading role in 110 Stories and his recurring role on Ugly Betty that brought him his first wave of recognition. In 2002, he was cast as one of the leads in Sarah Tufts 9.11 play 110 Stories, starring opposite Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, Neil Patrick Harris, John Turturro and Edie Falco. Since then he has produced and performed the play at The Geffen Playhouse, The Public Theater, NYU Skirball and The Vineyard Theater, starring opposite Ed Asner, John Hawkes, Katie Holmes, Samuel L Jackson, Melissa Leo, Cynthia Nixon, Jeremy Piven and Tony Shalhoub. For his contributions to charity and his commemoration of the tragedy through this play, he was acknowledged with Ray Romano, Bruce Springsteen, Patricia Heaton, Paul McCartney and many others in BIO channels prime-time special When Pop Culture Saved America: A 9-11 Story, directed by David Levin. He also became the first South African man to be nominated for a SAG award, when the lead cast of Ugly Betty was acknowledged with a best ensemble cast nomination in 2007. He portrayed the recurring role of Steve, an underworld accomplice to Alan Dales Bradford Meade. His own storyline reached its height when he was supposedly buried alive
