Stephen Quay
DirectingBorn Jun 17, 1947
Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA
Stephen Quay was born in 1947 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. He studied illustration at the Philadelphia College of Art and later continued his education at the Royal College of Art in London, where he met his twin brother Timothy and began collaborating in animation. Together, they founded Atelier Koninck and produced their first experimental short films in the late 1970s. Throughout his career, Stephen has directed and co-directed short films, feature films, and stop-motion projects, including Nocturna Artificialia (1979), Street of Crocodiles (1986), Institute Benjamenta (1995), and The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005). His work is characterized by dreamlike, detailed, and symbolic worlds, often using dolls and carefully crafted objects to create surreal and unsettling atmospheres.
Known For
Phantom Museums: The Short Films of the Quay Brothers
movie2007
Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life
movie1995
Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life
movie1995
The Falls
movie1982
VadeMecum
movie2021
Maska
movie2010
Maska
movie2010
The Cabinet of Jan Švankmajer
movie1984
The Cabinet of Jan Švankmajer
movie1984
Stille Nacht IV: Can't Go Wrong Without You
movie1993
Stille Nacht IV: Can't Go Wrong Without You
movie1993
Stille Nacht IV: Can't Go Wrong Without You
movie1993
Filmography
2025Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglassas Editormovie2022The Art Teacher from Drohobycz: Bruno Schulzas Directormovie2022Ghosts and Whispersas Directormovie202111 Preliminary Orbits Around Planet Lemas Directormovie2021VadeMecumas Directormovie2019The Doll's Breathas Directormovie2017The Music of Zdeněk Liškaas Selfmovie2015The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddinmovie2015Quayas Thanksmovie2013Unmistaken Hands: Ex Voto F.H.as Directormovie2011Behind the Scenes with the Quay Brothersas Selfmovie2011Through the Weeping Glass: On the Consolations of Life Everlasting (Limbos & Afterbreezes in the Mütter Museum)as Editormovie2010Wonderwood: Comme des garçonsas Directormovie2010Maskaas Writermovie2010Inside The Institutemovie2009The Art of Timemovie2009Kinoteka Identas Directormovie2009The Bug Traineras Self - stop-motion animatormovie2009Inventorium of Tracesas Editormovie2007Eurydice: She, So Belovedas Editormovie2007Alice in Not So Wonderlandas Cinematographymovie2007Phantom Museums: The Short Films of the Quay Brothersas Directormovie2006The Making of "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes"movie2005The Piano Tuner of Earthquakesas Production Designmovie2004Quay Brothers: The Short Films 1979-2003as Directormovie2003The Phantom Museum: Random Forays Into the Vaults of Sir Henry Wellcome's Medical Collectionas Directormovie2003Songs for Dead Childrenas Directormovie2001Sonic Cinema: Sparklehorseas Directormovie2001Stille Nacht V: Dog Dooras Writermovie2000The Sandmanas Directormovie2000In Absentiaas Animationmovie2000The Brothers Quay Collection: Ten Astonishing Short Films 1984-1993as Directormovie1995Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Lifeas Writermovie1995The Summitas Directormovie1993Stille Nacht IV: Can't Go Wrong Without Youas Animationmovie1993Stille Nacht III: Tales from Vienna Woodsas Camera Operatormovie1993Anamorphosisas Decoratormovie1992Stille Nacht II: Are We Still Married?as Camera Operatormovie1991The Combas Art Directionmovie1991The Calligrapheras Animationmovie1989Ex Votoas Directormovie1988Rain Danceas Directormovie1988Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomiesas Decoratormovie1988Stille Nacht I: Dramoletas Directormovie1987Tales of the Brothers Quayas Directormovie1986Street of Crocodilesas Production Designmovie1985This Unnameable Little Broomas Director of Photographymovie1984The Cabinet of Jan Švankmajeras Director of Photographymovie1984The Cabinet of Jan Švankmajer: Prague's Alchemist of Filmas Directormovie1983Janáček: Intimate Excursionsas Directormovie1982The Fallsas Ipson Fallarimovie1982Igor Stravinsky: The Paris Years Chez Pleyel 1920-1929as Directormovie1981A Fratricideas Animationmovie1981Punch and Judy: Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedyas Animationmovie1981The Eternal Day of Michel de Ghelderodeas Directormovie1979Nocturna Artificialiaas Cinematographymovie