We’re interviewing Simon Steuri this week on the podcast, and talk about his newest film How I Learned to Fly. Simon talks about his life growing up in a small town in Switzerland, his days in radio, going to film school, moving to Los Angeles, and cutting his teeth on commercials and music videos.
Enjoy the podcast and go see How I Learned to Fly in a theater near you!
Check out a trailer from Simon Steuri’s directorial debut How I Learned to Fly:
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How I Learned to Fly: After their parents suddenly left them, 2 teenage brothers found themselves all alone. Daniel, the older brother, is deeply troubled by the violence they endured at the hands of their father and is committed to keeping their family safe.
- Director/Writer: Simon Steuri
- Stars:
About the film
Synopsis:
Two African-American teenage brothers suddenly find themselves on their own after being mysteriously abandoned by their parents. Deeply haunted by the mental and physical abuse inflicted by their father (Wu-Tang Clan’s Cliff “Method Man” Smith), elder brother Daniel (Marcus Scribner, ABC’s Black-ish) is determined to prevent their lives from falling apart. He maintains a daily routine, works as a dishwasher and does his best to keep a roof over their heads. Younger brother Eli (Lonnie Chavis, NBC’s This Is Us) struggles to cope with the absence of his mother, leaving her voicemail messages in search of answers. Embarking on a journey of survival and self-discovery, they uncover moments of beauty, newfound meaning and enduring love that strengthen their bond despite the uncertain road ahead.
Featuring supporting performances by Cedric the Entertainer and Michele Selene Ang, How I Learned to Fly is a poignant story of determination and resilience in the face of profound adversity.
Filmmaker Bios
Simon Steuri
Director/Writer
Born in Switzerland, writer and director Simon Steuri got his first start into the entertainment industry as a radio DJ when he was 18 years old. He studied film at the University of Arts in Zürich and soon started shooting music videos and commercials. His short film VANDALS ran in the competition at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. His commercials work has won him several awards. Most recently, one of these films was based on a poem he wrote. The commercial has been translated into six languages. How I Learned to Fly is his feature film debut.
Jewerl Ross
Producer
Jewerl Ross, most known as the long-time manager of international auteur filmmakers, has produced three films including HOW I LEARNED TO FLY, which he also financed. Prior, he produced BRUISER starring Trevante Rhoades and Shamier Anderson. Released to rave reviews, BRUISER is available on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus around the world. Currently, Jewerl is in post-production on FAMILY starring Ruth Wilson and Ben Chaplin. As a talent manager, Jewerl represents filmmakers including Barry Jenkins (US), Robin Campillo (France), Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil), Bora Kim (South Korea), Yann Gonzales (France) and others.
Irvin Liu
Cinematographer
Irvin is a Director of Photography based in Los Angeles interested in telling stories that explore the human condition and diverse cultures. Recently he was nominated for the Panavision Award for Best Narrative Feature Cinematography for his work on DEALING WITH DAD. The film also won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2022 LA Asian Film Festival. Prior, the short, QUERY, premiered at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival and was nominated for Best Narrative Short.
Cast Bios
Lonnie Chavis
Eli Davis
Born in Los Angeles, Lonnie landed his first recurring role on NBC’s hit dramedy series, THIS IS US starring Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia and Sterling K Brown at the age of 9. Lonnie plays the younger version of Emmy Award winning actor, Sterling K. Brown. Lonnie made his feature debut in Davis Oyelowo’s directorial debut, THE WATER MAN. With Chavis as the lead, he starred opposite of Oyelowo and Rosario Dawson. He credits Oyelowo with making him a better actor. He’s a shining star in How I Learned to Fly and we hope he continues his ascendent career.
Marcus Scribner
Daniel Davis
Marcus Scribner landed his first series regular role at the age of 13 on ABC’s hit comedy BLACK-ISH starring as Andre Jr opposite Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross. Since its premiere in September 2014, the series has gone on to receive both critical acclaim and awards recognition year after year, including a prestigious Peabody Award in 2015. Marcus has also been nominated for multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice, NAACP Image and Screen Actors Guild Awards as part of the ensemble cast, and in 2016 he received an individual NAACP Image award for ‘Outstanding Performance by a Youth,’ a category in which he has been nominated every year for his work on the show. Transitioning into film, Marcus most recently starred in HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE based on the book of the same name. He plays the elder brother in How I Learned to Fly.
Clifford ‘Method Man’ Smith
Cliff Davis
Award-winning actor, producer and musician Cliff “Method Man” Smith, has been forging an extraordinary and unparalleled path across all mediums since he first entered the scene 30 years ago. Smith currently stars as ‘Attorney Davis MacLean’ opposite Mary J. Blige in the worldwide hit STARZ series “POWER BOOK II: GHOST.” Smith also recently starred in Paramount Pictures’ ON THE COME UP directed by Saana Lathan.
Cedric the Entertainer
Louis
A comedian and actor known for being one of the Original Kings of Comedy, Cedric Antonio Kyles is also known for his roles in the BARBERSHOP trilogy, the MADAGASCAR trilogy, THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW, ICE AGE, PLANES, THE SOUL MAN and THE NEIGHBORHOOD. He has had three children with Lorna Wells.
About Film Movement
Founded in 2002, Film Movement is a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City. It has released more than 300 feature films culled from prestigious film festivals worldwide. Film Movement’s theatrical releases include American independent films, documentaries, and foreign-language arthouse titles. Its catalog includes works by directors such as Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Lee Isaac Chung, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Maren Ade, Jessica Hausner, Andrei Konchalovsky, Andrzej Wajda, Ciro Guerra, Jan Komasa and Melanie Laurent.
In 2015, Film Movement launched its reissue label Film Movement Classics, featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on Blu-ray and DVD, including films by such noted directors as Ang Lee, Chen Kaige, Luchino Visconti, Stanley Kwan, Peter Greenaway, Bille August, Marleen Gorris, Takeshi Kitano, Arturo Ripstein, King Hu and Sergio Corbucci. For more information, please visit www.filmmovement.com.
Visit www.filmmovementplus.com for more information about Film Movement Plus, Film Movement’s critically-lauded subscription streaming service.
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