Kissing Jessica Stein

Background:

Film director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld garnered rave reviews in 2001 for his 35mm film directorial debut, "Kissing Jessica Stein" (2001). He followed it up with directional works in "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" (2003) and "The Hammer" (2007). Meanwhile, he has directed several episodes of the comedy series "Stella" and an episode of the sitcom "So noTORIous."

This award-winning filmmaker also served as executive producer of gay films "Serene Hunter" (2007) and "S Is for Sexy" (2008). Additionally, he has appeared in "Alcatraz Avenue" (2000) and "See Jane Run" (2001).

New Yorker

Childhood and Family:

Born on July 5, 1966, Charles Herman-Wurmfeld was raised in New York City. He is the older brother of producer Eden Wurmfeld (born on December 2, 1969).

After graduating from Oberlin College in Ohio, Herman-Wurmfeld moved to Vermont, where he established the theatre department at Otter Valley Union High School and taught there for two years.

Legally Blonde 2

Career:

Raised in New York City, Charles Herman-Wurmfeld experimented with Super 8 mm from an early age. He later moved to San Francisco and worked as a performance artist and inventive theatre director. During this time, his works included a trilogy of popular rock operas “The Cereal Killers,” “Possession Of Mrs. Jones,” and “Suburbia 3000.” He also directed music videos for Caroline and Capricorn Records, as well as several underground short projects, including the 40-minute fantasy film "Fabian's Freeak Show" (1994). Additionally, he directed and appeared in the lesbian film "Fanci's Persuasion" (1995), starring Boa and Jessica Patton. The Slamdance-screened project was shot in 16mm camera and with a very little budget.

Herman-Wurmfeld also worked as an actor, appearing in Tom Edgar's thriller film called "Alcatraz Avenue" (2000) and Sarah Thorp's independent crime/comedy movie "See Jane Run" (2001), starring Clea DuVall.

Herman-Wurmfeld subsequently made his 35mm film directorial debut with "Kissing Jessica Stein" (2001), an independent romantic comedy film written and co-produced by the film's stars, Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen. The movie, which is based on a scene from the 1997 off-Broadway play by Westfeldt and Juergensen called" Lipschtick," gathered positive reviews and won Herman-Wurmfeld awards at the Glitter Awards (for Best Lesbian Feature), Louisville Jewish Film Festival (for Best Film), Miami Film Festival (for Audience Award), and Los Angeles IFP/West Film Festival (for Audience Award - Best Feature Film). It also received Grand Special Prize nomination at Deauville Film Festival.

Also in 2001, Herman-Wurmfeld directed the comedic TV movie "The Facts of Life Reunion." Two years later, in 2003, he directed an unsold TV series pilot called "Legally Blonde," starring Jennifer Hall, and went on to direct the 2003 sequel to 2001's "Legally Blonde," "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde," starring Reese Witherspoon.

Herman-Wurmfeld subsequently retreated to television and directed multiple episodes of the short-lived Comedy Central TV series "Stella" and an episode of VH1 sitcom loosely based on the life of Tori Spelling, "So noTORIous."

Meanwhile, he directed Adam Carolla and Heather Juergensen in the comedy film about a retired amateur boxer, "The Hammer." Although filming was completed in late July 2006, the film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, 2007 and was presented at the Victoria Film Festival in February 2008 and received the Audience Favourite Award. It opened nationwide in the United States on March 21, 2008.

During this time, Herman-Wurmfeld executive-produced two gay comedy films, "Serene Hunter" (2007), a 13-minute short written and directed by Jason Bushman, and "S Is for Sexy" (2008), which was released straight to video.

Awards:

• Glitter: Best Lesbian Feature, "Kissing Jessica Stein," 2003

• Louisville Jewish Film Festival: Best Film, "Kissing Jessica Stein," 2002

• Miami Film Festival: Audience Award, "Kissing Jessica Stein," 2002

• Los Angeles IFP/West Film Festival: Audience Award - Best Feature Film, "Kissing Jessica Stein," 2001