My foundation as a filmmaker is storytelling ingrained in me during 20 years as a solo theater artist.
I am a middle-class Black American housewife who greenscreens performance art movies and makes animation in my livingroom. My practice is based on improvisational acting and storytelling. I have screened internationally in visual arts venues since 2008 & on the film festival circuit since 2014. Special recognition: Senses of Cinema Top Films of 2019; Best Animated Feature Film, Hazel Eye Film Festival (2019); Best Fx Design, FICOCC #13 (2018); Grand Jury Award (2016) & Gold Award (2018), L.A.N.N.E.F.F.
I feel a responsibility as an artist to be unpredictable. I feel a responsibility not to rehash what everybody already knows. I feel a responsibility to reach beyond the experience of being born in the 20th century, of being female, of being African American, and even of being raised as a child activist during the American Civil Rights Movement. I feel a responsibility to keep my mind open not only to what I don't know, but what I may not want to know. I feel so fortunate to have experimental filmmaking as a way to be true to what I believe.
Official Selection
Dr. Verne's Little Big Bang (avec sous-titres françaises)
Austin Arthouse Film Festival
Austin, Texas
2020
Official Selection
THE SELF MADE TRAP by Sylvia Toy: 3
Human Rights Global Videos
Numerous (Haarlem, Hong Kong, Kathmandu, Karachi, Berlin, Milan and Zaandam)
2019
Commission
CREDO, A Pilgrim by Sylvia Toy
The Democracy Scrabble Project
Milan
2018
Best Fx Design
CREATION by Sylvia Toy
Five Continents International Film Festival
Official Selection
Sequence 13
Five Continents International Film Festival
Official Selection
Killer Jane, a performance art movie
Chicago Amarcord Arthouse Television Awards
Chicago
Official Selection
VOICE by Sylvia Toy, Festival Cutting 3
Black Underground FilmFest
Rancho Cucamonga
Official Selection
VOICE, a performance art movie
Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival
Official Selection
before chill
Creative Arts Film Festival
Malvern, Pennsylvania
College
University of Nebraska
Art
Gender
Female
Ethnicity
Black
Married To
Michael Lewis
Acting is the least mysterious of all crafts. Whenever we want something from somebody or when we want to hide something or pretend, we're acting. Most people do it all day long. MARLON BRANDO, New York Times, Jul. 2, 2004
My foundation as a filmmaker is storytelling ingrained in me during 20 years as a solo theater artist.
Share:
Résumé & Attachments
  • CATALOGUE September 2018 VisualContainer TV Monography of Sylvia Toy St Louis - 120 minutes and 32 seconds
  • Sylvia Toy St Louis – LinkedIn Resume
  • Mini Stills Portfolio, 2014-2022
Share:
Résumé & Attachments
  • CATALOGUE September 2018 VisualContainer TV Monography of Sylvia Toy St Louis - 120 minutes and 32 seconds
  • Sylvia Toy St Louis – LinkedIn Resume
  • Mini Stills Portfolio, 2014-2022
Complete the captcha to finish sign up. Cancel