Stephen Hegyes

Producer, Co-Chairman - Brightlight Pictures Inc.

Stephen Hegyes, co-founder of Brightlight Pictures, has garnered a reputation as a leading independent film and television producer over the course of his 20 years in the industry. Hegyes has worked with internationally renowned actors and directors such as Ben Kingsley, Michael Keaton, Sandra Oh, Val Kilmer, Rebecca De Mornay, David James Elliott, Mina Shum, Kari Skogland, and Bruce Sweeney.

Before launching Brightlight Pictures in 2001 with long-time industry colleague Shawn Williamson, Stephen produced several critically-acclaimed feature films. In 1995, Double Happiness, directed by Mina Shum and starring Sandra Oh, won two Genie Awards (Best Actress, Best Editing), and was released by Fine Line Features. Dirty (1998) screened at the Sundance Film Festival as well as the Berlin International Film Festival. Last Wedding, directed by Bruce Sweeney, not only opened the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival, but was also voted one of the festival’s top films.

Since launching Brightlight Pictures, Stephen has successfully produced over twenty five feature films and television series including: Going The Distance (guest starring Swollen Members, and Avril Lavigne), released by Alliance Atlantis and MGM; The Long Weekend, starring Chris Klein and Brendan Fehr, co-produced and distributed by Gold Circle Films; and White Noise, starring Michael Keaton. White Noise was produced as a UK/Canada coproduction and has grossed more than $100 million since 2005. Bruce Sweeney’s American Venus, starring Rebecca De Mornay, screened at the Toronto Film Festival and became the most downloaded film on IFC’s Festival Direct Video On Demand service in the summer of 2008. Stephen also produced Ernie Barbarash’s psychological thriller They Wait, starring Jaime King. In 2008, Stephen produced sci-fi horror The Thaw (Val Kilmer) with Vancouver’s Anagram Pictures. Stephen’s recently produced television series include TNT’s top-rated show Saved with Fox21; half hour teen comedy About A Girl, airing on Global in Canada and MTV’s N Network in the US; and The Guard (David James Elliott), a one-hour action drama series with Halifax Film for Global Television and Lionsgate. He also recently premiered sci-fi series Stormworld, an Australia/Canada co-production, on CTV’s Space Channel and Australia’s Nine Network.

Stephen premiered feature film Fifty Dead Men Walking (Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess), a UK/Canada co-production with Handmade Films and Future Films, as a Gala at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was released theatrically in summer 2009. Stephen produced the feature film Gunless, starring Paul Gross and Graham Greene, which was released in theatres across Canada on April 30, 2010. Among a diverse slate of features and television series in development, Stephen is currently developing Brent Butt’s first feature film, No Clue, and Mina Shum’s romantic comedy, Two Of Me.

In 2006, the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) awarded Brightlight Pictures the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2004, Stephen was named one of Business Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40. Stephen has also been nominated by Variety Magazine as “One of 50 to Watch.”