Michael Szymczyk

Michael Szymczyk is an independent filmmaker, philosopher, and novelist with a visionary approach to storytelling. As the writer and director of seven feature films—Scent, Eaters of the Dead, SARS-29, Journey to the End of the Night, Night of the Skinwalkers, The Reality of Time and The Stranger—he explores themes that challenge perceptions and push cinematic boundaries.

An accomplished author, Szymczyk has published sixteen books across genres, including essential guides like Independent Filmmaking 101, Cinematography 101, and Cinematic AI, as well as language primers such as German 101, French 101, Spanish 101, and Latin 101. His historical and philosophical works—Atlantis & Its Fate in the Postdiluvian World and Hyperborea & The Lost Age of Man—explore ancient mysteries, while his novels Toilet: The Novel and Tristan MacArthur & The Dark Forest of Titan reveal a unique narrative voice that offer a soft blend of science fiction and horror with existentialism.

Szymczyk’s diverse body of work reflects his passion for blending storytelling, philosophical inquiry, and cutting-edge cinematic techniques, establishing him as a thought-provoking voice in contemporary independent cinema.

He is currently working on his seventh film, The Stranger, which is inspired by the works of Albert Camus. His first novel received mentions in The Chicago Sun-Times, The Kansas City Star and Publisher’s Weekly. It was also used in several college level Existentialism courses and had its Farsi translation banned by the Iranian Ministry of Culture.

"Szymczyk is smart." - The Kansas City Star

"Another candidate for the canon?" - The Chicago Sun-Times