Alexander Røsler

Norwegian script writer and director Alexander Røsler was born in Dachau in 1947, and came to Norway as a Jewish refugee during the 1950's. With a background in social-anthropology, Røsler began his career as a documentary film-maker shooting at home and abroad. During the past 20 years he has directed and produced a wide array of films, primarily documentaries, for NRK (Norway's leading tv-channel), UNICEF, NORAD and Amnesty International. He has also written and directed short features for children of which "Sommerjubel" (Joy of Summer, 1985) and "Trollsteinen" (The Magical Stone, 1987) have been distributed in movie theatres as well as on Television. "Sommerjubel" received the audience's choice award at the Chicago International Festival of Children's Film in 1986 and the Audience's Choice at the Norwegian Short Film Festival of 1985. It was also invited to the Kinderfilmfest in Berlin in 1986. In 1991 Røsler received the national film award "Amanda" (best documentary) for "Svett glamour" (Sweaty Glamour). In 1997 he received critically acclaim and success abroad with his award-winning feature film "Mendel", inspired by his own childhood coming to Norway. In the film he used his own son, Benjamin Lønne Røsler, as an extra. Benjamin would later grow up to become a talented young actor. Røsler lives in Lillehammer, Norway.