Leif Alexis

Leif Alexis was born 1974 in Kungsbacka, Sweden. From 2004 to 2009 he studied „International Producing“ at the Film Academy of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany. In 2007 he received a scholarship from the State Foundation (Landesstiftung) of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in order to attend the “Hollywood Workshop”, a four-week intensive Master Class program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During his studies he developed the feature film SHAHADA together with the director Burhan Qurbani, which he also produced. The film portrays the lives of young Muslims in Berlin, trapped between modern big city life and the traditional, religious ideals of their families. Its world premiere was in the competition of the 60th Berlinale and it won numerous international prizes. For his work on SHAHADA, Leif also received the prestigious “Best Upcoming Producer” distinction from Studio Hamburg as well as a “Merit Award” for his production work at the Sehsüchte Film Festival. Since 2010 Leif Alexis has worked for UFA Fiction Ludwigsburg (former Teamworx), as a producer with a strong focus on development. At UFA Fiction, he developed and produced the ground-breaking transmedia series RESCUE DINA FOXX PART I (2011) und RESCUE DINA FOXX PART II (2014), which - amongst several renowned international awards - also won the highly acclaimed “Digital Emmy” for “Best Fiction Format”. As executive producer he produced the film GEORGE (German TV-Award), with famous German actor Götz George playing the role of his own father, legendary actor Heinrich George, STATIONS OF THE CROSS (“Silver Bear” at the Berlinale for “Best Script”), a drama about the dangers posed by fanatical Catholicism and MÄNGELEXEMPAR, based on the best-selling novel with the same name by German author and TV-host Sara Kuttner. In 2013 Leif produced Burhan Qurbani’s second feature film WE ARE YOUNG, WE ARE STRONG about the xenophobic riots that took place in Rostock-Lichtenhagen in 1992. The film was a sensational success in German cinemas and was nominated for the German Film Price in three categories and finally won the “Lola” for “Best Supporting Role” (Joel Basman).