Steve Kokker was born and raised in Montréal, where he earned degrees in both Psychology and Social Work at McGill University. For nine years, he worked as a film critic, columnist, and editor at the independent weeklies Montreal Mirror and Hour Magazine, as well as being a regular film commentator on CBC Radio. He also published numerous articles in newspapers, academic journals, and magazines throughout Canada, the U.S., England, and Holland. His first video Berioza (Birch) was a controversial success at film festivals in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and London.