Leo Behrens is an award-winning Norwegian director and cinematographer based in Los Angeles. A graduate of Westerdals Film & TV Norway (2010), Leo gained recognition with his short documentary "Historien om deg og meg," which won the prestigious Gullkalven award. He then transitioned to working as a cinematographer on numerous Norwegian TV productions. In 2023, Leo earned a cinematography degree from the American Film Institute Conservatory and was selected for The ASC Vision Mentorship program.
Leo was the writer, director and cinematographer of the short film "SKIN," which won the Gold Medal at the 2023 Student Academy Awards (Student Oscars) and earned him a mentorship through the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "SKIN" also won “Best Cinematography” and “Best Directing” at the Los Angeles Cinematography Awards 2023 and “Best Cinematography” at Gem FEST in 2024. It was showcased at over 25 festivals including AFI FEST, The Norwegian Short Film Festival, and InsideOut Film Festival.
As an ASC Vision mentee, he was awarded the 2024 Fresh Perspective Cinematography Grant, sponsored by The ASC, ARRI and AbelCine. He utlized the grant on the feature film "Shadow Watchers," shot in the spring of 2024.