David Alexander

01Index A.David Alexander 2010 — present

Documentary & strategic film for the world's most complex stories.

Statement

Fifteen years producing films at the intersection of journalism, humanitarian work, and editorial. Based in Geneva. Currently with UNHCR; bylines in The New Yorker, TIME, The Atlantic, and the Wall Street Journal.

02 / Case Studies

Selected work

03 entries
The Fire Brigade — Mauritania
f.1 — 01 The New Yorker · 2024

The Fire Brigade

Field mission to The New Yorker — climate and conflict converge in Mauritania.

Nansen Refugee Award
f.1 — 02 UNHCR · Geneva · 2025

Nansen Refugee Award

Cinematic advocacy at a moment of donor fatigue. One screening, one standing ovation.

Elton John AIDS Foundation
f.1 — 03 EJAF · 2015 – 2019

Global narrative systems

Five countries, a body of films humanising the fight against HIV for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

03 / Filmography

Films & credits

18 entries
f.3 — A UNHCR · United Nations
2025 The Story of Wenyen Gabriel NBA player Wenyen Gabriel on his journey from refugee camp to professional basketball. UNHCR 2024 Sudan: One Year of War Op-doc with UN High Commissioner Filippo Grandi on the Sudan crisis. TIME Op-Doc 2024 Global Displacement Data: These Are Not Just Numbers UNHCR's first public-facing integration of AI voiceover — produced using ElevenLabs for the Global Trends data report. UNHCR 2023 How Financial Assistance Works for Refugees in an Emergency Explaining UNHCR's emergency cash assistance programmes to global audiences. UNHCR 2023 UNHCR Global Trends Report 110 million people forcibly displaced — visualising the scale of the global refugee crisis. UNHCR 2023 Meheba: From Refuge to Resilience A refugee settlement becomes a hub of self-reliance. Zambia. UNHCR 2022 Tales of Hope in Portugal Stories of refugee resilience and integration in Portugal. UNHCR 2022 Memories of Displacement A journey through the UNHCR archives. UNHCR
f.3 — B Foundations, Philanthropy & Editorial
2019 Elton John Meets LGBTQI Youth in South Africa Part of a larger body of work produced for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in South Africa. EJAF 2019 A Mother's Moment: Ending HIV Transmission Documenting the fight to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission in Lesotho. EJAF 2018 Starkey + Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Initiative Field film documenting hearing missions across Africa. CTAOI 2017 Virgin Unite + Starkey Hearing Foundation Documenting the partnership between Virgin Unite and Starkey Hearing Foundation. Virgin Unite 2016 Starkey Hearing Foundation Visits the Dalai Lama On the ground in Dharamsala as Starkey brings hearing aids to Tibetan refugees — and meets the Dalai Lama. Starkey 2016 The Refugee Rapper A Syrian refugee finds his voice through hip-hop in Athens, Greece. The Atlantic 2013 Digital Jobs Africa How digital employment is transforming livelihoods across the continent. Rockefeller 2013 Chhouk: The Elephant with a Prosthetic Foot A young elephant's survival story in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains. Wildlife Alliance
f.3 — C Personal & Video Blogs
2022 Where the Rhône Meets the Arve A strange natural phenomenon at the confluence of two Geneva rivers. Original music by David Alexander. Personal 2021 Regular Guy Does Massive Cycle Riding a single speed around Lake Geneva. Original music by David Alexander. Personal 2020 London Lockdown Day 1 A video diary from the first day of lockdown in London. Original music by David Alexander. Personal 2019 Aerial Athens Athens from above. Personal 2017 Day in the Life of a Geezer (London Tube 360) Experimenting with 360 camera technology on the London Underground. Personal 2017 DIY Selfie "Stick" Building a DIY camera rig and taking it around London. Personal
04 / About

Biography

Geneva, CH
David Alexander
Portrait / 2024

Everything
is interesting.

My work sits at the intersection of journalism, documentary filmmaking, and strategic communications — shaped by over fifteen years working in complex international environments, usually with a camera close by. I create emotive, visually driven narratives that make complicated issues feel immediate, relatable, and real.

Location From Los Angeles, now live in Geneva where I work at UNHCR
Current Video Production Officer, UNHCR — since 2021
Education M.S., Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, 2011
Teaching Guest lecturer, Sciences Po Paris — Impact & Documentary Production
Published in
The New Yorker TIME Wall Street Journal The Atlantic ABC News The Economist ESPN Travel Channel Times of Israel Current TV Mashable
05 / Contact

Get in touch

Available for commissions

Let's
make something.

Phone +1 310-666-7885
Location Geneva, Switzerland