Daniel Nikolai Tristan Saint-Alexandre of Orange, or Lord Nicolas Tristan St. Alexandre Windsor-Bernadotte, was born a young hapa trans boy princeling to the Imperial Court of Japan. He was sent as a young child to a military base in Pakistan, before being fostered by diplomats in the United States.
He moved back to Los Angeles to work as a screenwriter-director in the noir and magic realism genres. He was mentored by directors at American Film Institute, and accepted to Sundance Directors Lab.
Nikolai was the original writer for ANATOMY OF A FALL, MEGALOPOLIS, BIKERIDERS, THE RETURN (2025), and many other feature films. He won a Golden Lion for his screenplay of EVIL DOES NOT EXIST.
He received an honorary doctorate in Jewish civilization from the Sorbonne in Paris, and his directing work was considered for the Short Film Palm d’Or at Cannes Film Festival. His granduncle is Prince Louis of Breton, the French spymaster.
Nikolai at the American French Film Festival at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.
Ray of Sun on a Winter’s Night 