STEVEN PRESSMAN (b.1955) is a former newspaper and magazine journalist who worked for a variety of publications in Los Angeles, Washington DC, and San Francisco.
Steven Pressman: From Journalism to Filmmaking
Introduction to Steven Pressman. 2:13 min. Interview: Raymond Elman. Post-Production: Sean Yakobson. Music: Carmen Cicero. Recorded via ZOOM 6/17/2026, Miami.
As a filmmaker, Pressman directed and produced “50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus,” which premiered on HBO in 2013 and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Historical Programming. His next film,” Holy Silence,” premiered on PBS in 2020. Pressman’s third film, “The Levys of Monticello,” won numerous awards while screening at more than 100 film festivals around the country since its release in 2022. His film, “Moses Ezekiel: Portrait of a Lost Artist,” screened at numerous film festivals after its release in 2024. His most recent film is “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie,” which reveals that the legendary folk singer from Oklahoma married a Jewish dancer in New York City, whose mother was a noted Yiddish poet. Together they created songs about Jewish rituals and produced Arlo Guthrie.
Pressman is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Documentary Peer group). In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Pressman is the best-selling author of “50 Children: One Ordinary American Couple’s Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany” (HarperCollins, 2014).
Pressman was born and raised in Los Angeles and received an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.
The videos below were recorded via Zoom, are organized by Success Factor, and run between 30 seconds and 8 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.
INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 1:30 min.
There aren’t many journalists who become filmmakers, did you have any role models that inspired you to make this transition?
DEVELOP A VOICE: 3:16 min.
With very little experience or training in filmmaking, when did you decide that it was okay to call yourself a filmmaker?
OPEN TO CHANGE, FLEXIBILITY: 3:54 min.
How did you make the transition from the fast pace of newspaper journalism to the years-long process of making films?
INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 3:57 min.
Where did you grow up, and what was your first awareness of art of any discipline?
SELF-CONFIDENCE: 4:08 min.
When did you first think you were a better writer than most of your peers?
SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES: 7:28 min.
What was your evolution as a journalist?
SERENDIPITY: 4:58 min.
How did you get started in documentary filmmaking?
SERENDIPITY: 5:16 min.
What inspired you to make the documentary film “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie”?
COMMUNITY VALUES: 1:17 min.
Describe the Jewish environment of your youth.
UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS OF ART: 3:58 min
Do you expect “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls” will be nominated for awards?
UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS OF ART: 3:46 min
Where can people see “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls”?
INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 1:08 min.
Have you attended the Miami Book Fair?
COMMUNITY VALUES: 0:22 sec.
Do you speak Yiddish?
RESILIENCE: 1:08 min.
What’s on your drawing board?
INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 2:02 min.
What’s your favorite movie?
