Lexi Alexander

German-born director Lexi Alexander first starting working in American film as a stuntwoman, a role which utilized her background as a world-class martial artist. She soon transitioned to writing and directing, though, and made the film "Johnny Flynton" in 2002, a tragic drama about a boxer with a bad temper which was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2003 Academy Awards. After this success, Alexander's next project was the 2005 sports drama "Green Street Hooligans," which she co-wrote and directed. The movie, which garnered a number of film festival awards, follows Matt (Elijah Wood), an American who moves to London and becomes involved with a gang of violent soccer hooligans. Next, Alexander was tapped to direct the new incarnation of the Punisher, a Marvel Comics anti-hero who was the subject of two previous movies, neither of which succeeded in turning the iconic character into a film franchise. "Punisher: War Zone," Alexander's dark 2008 movie starring Ray Stevenson, fully embraced the character's violent vigilante ways. However, Alexander clashed with Lion's Gate, the studio behind "Punisher: War Zone," throughout the production, and she choose a very different type of movie to follow the action film. "Lifted," directed and written by Alexander in 2010, follows a young boy who has difficulty dealing with his father's military assignment in Afghanistan. Although "Lifted" did not see get a wide theatrical release, it gradually gained fans, especially among military personnel and their families.