Biography

Jason Tostevin is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, film festival director, and founder of Hands Off Productions, a boutique studio with a worldwide reputation for its short genre films.

Jason graduated from The Ohio State University with an honors degree in English. He has worked as a brand, communications and marketing leader and producer for agencies and Fortune 100 businesses.

A longtime fiction writer, in 2009 he made the switch to writing and directing short films, beginning with thriller, horror and documentary shorts for sprint contests. In 2010 he directed the fantasy short "Stones," which was named to the final international best-of list and DVD for the 48 Hour Film Project, and was presented in a special screening during the Cannes Film Festival. He also starred in his first three shorts.

In 2011 he created and co-developed the broadcast television series The Screen, which ran for a six-episode season in Columbus before being syndicated on PBS stations around the country. Jason has directed commercials, corporate videos and championship short films - but his first and longest love is genre movies.

Jason has directed and produced a string of festival-hit short genre films, including horror comedy 'Til Death (included in the anthology Seven Hells), Twilight Zone-thriller I Owe You (Cinema Constant's indie short of the year), crime drama A Way Out (more than 100 fest selections; starring Robert Costanzo) and horror comedy Born Again (released by Short of the Week). He is also known for award-winning short screenplays, including Dead Sprint (30 nominations and awards, including best screenplay at Mile High Horror Film Festival, and Fresh Voices top 10).

In 2016, Jason co-founded Nightmares Film Festival, a celebration of "Better Horror." iHorror called Nightmares "the Cannes of horror," and Bloody Disgusting said it is "among the best genre festivals anywhere." It has been FilmFreeway's top-rated genre festival for 30 consecutive months.

Jason has become a leader in independent film, speaking at festivals and presenting film circuit insight in his "#BetterFesting" live broadcasts. In 2017, film site Cinema Runner named him independent horror's "most influential short-film maker," noting that he is considered "a sort of indie prophet" by his peers, honoring him for "changing the face of indie horror shorts and elevating horror expectations."

He has been inducted into two filmmaking halls of fame, one as a director and one as a producer. The best of the festival award at Austin Revolution Film Festival is named "The Tostevin."

Jason lives in Ohio with his wife, two daughters and the family's half-pitbull, Milo.