Alex Gruenenfelder
Directing
Biography
Alex Gruenenfelder is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and stilt walker. Born in Los Angeles, he starred in his first horror feature at age thirteen, as Young Derrick in "The Purgation" (2015) and later received film festival acclaim for directing the slasher short "The Saga of Psycho Girl" (2019). Gruenenfelder's passion for horror also extends beyond the screen, performing on stilts at such haunted attractions as Midsummer Scream, Six Flags Fright Fest, and the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. He made his feature film directorial debut with the psychological thriller "Little Pet" (2025).
Known For
Set within the BDSM scene, a submissive young woman struggles with her toxic romantic relationship. After she is bitten by an unruly dog, her mental health begins to spiral as she develops an increasing connection to her animalistic side.
Little Pet
Ever since she was a little girl, Iris has wanted to be a filmmaker. For the last five years though, she's been trapped working in reality television, directing episodes for a series that's barely able to compete with Ghost Hunters. Iris sees her big chance to prove herself when she gets sent on assignment to her hometown of Black Falls, a small town harboring an abandoned insane asylum that has a dark history of excessive shock therapy. Filming inside the asylum brings back childhood memories for Iris, memories of sneaking into the asylum with her friends to shoot homemade horror movies. Little does Iris know, her life is about to imitate her art.
The Purgation
An empathetic professional cuddler, a restless socialite, and a paranoid boy find their lives unexpectedly interwoven, each altered by the global crisis.
Before We Break
Trapped at home 24/7 during the pandemic lockdowns, many marriages crumbled, as couples realized they married the wrong person. Married to others, Janna and Damien reconnect during the pandemic and begin a passionate love affair. Through this affair, they disrupt their lives, upset moral and social norms, and change their perceptions about their future.