Wild Gift has signed French filmmaker Thomas Leisten Schneider to its roster for U.S. commercial representation, bringing aboard a director known for blending cinematic visuals with sharply offbeat comedy.
Leisten Schneider’s work has gained attention internationally for campaigns that fuse stylish filmmaking with absurdist humor, including a memorable spot for Icdd through Fantastic Paris featuring actors floating inside a clogged toilet bowl, a quirky romance-inspired campaign for Hugo Reitzel, and a playful campaign for TikTok and the Festival de Cannes exploring the addictive power of short-form content.
His growing commercial portfolio also includes work for Citroën, Fisher-Price, Canal+, Bouygues Telecom and other major European brands.
“I love working with actors and casting a film,” Leisten Schneider said. “But I also love photography, so I always try to find the right language for a film visually. I aim to make comedy with style.”
Wild Gift co-founder David Mitchell praised the filmmaker’s distinctive tonal approach.
“Thomas is a super talent, he makes comedy with a touch of class,” Mitchell noted. “He’s the only director I know who can direct a campaign for a French plumbing company with actors floating in a toilet bowl and make it a charming and fun moment. He’ll make a splash in the U.S. market for sure.”
For Leisten Schneider, the partnership represents his first commercial representation in the American market, something he says immediately felt creatively aligned.
“David and I had a first conversation and quickly got into films and life. It just felt easy from the start,” he said. “His warmth and experience working with many of filmmaking’s greats makes me feel like Wild Gift is the right home for me to grow my commercial career in the U.S.”
Born and raised in France, Leisten Schneider originally studied theater at a Paris conservatory before moving to Los Angeles to continue training at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. After directing theater productions and short-form content, he spent three years as a director’s assistant at Smuggler before transitioning to directing his own projects.
Outside the commercial world, Leisten Schneider has also directed several acclaimed short films, including Point and Shoot starring Donald Sutherland and the tennis-themed dramedy Tiebreaker. He recently completed his first feature film, Love-Love, starring Haley Joel Osment, Beck Bennett and Chris Elliott, which is expected to begin its festival run later this year.
Reel 360 News wishes Thomas the best of luck.
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