Born in Nanchang Lei Lei studied animation in Beijing, and has been working internationally as an artist and independent animator since competing his studies in 2009, making a number of short films that have been successful at festivals.
In 2010, his film This is LOVE was shown at Ottawa International Animation Festival and awarded Best Narrative Short. In 2013 his film Recycled won the Grand Prix Shorts – Non-Narrative at the Holland International Animation Film Festival. The following year Lei Lei was awarded an Asian cultural council grant.
In 2018 he was awarded the Jimei x Arles Discovery Award and invited to join the New Academy Member for the Short Films and Feature Animation branch
His first feature film Breathless Animals was selected by Berlinale Forum in 2019 and he was awarded the Grand Prix Images Vevey – Special Jury Prize, Switzerland.
Since 2017, Lei Lei has been a full time faculty member in the School of Experimental Animation of CalArts, spending most of his time in Los Angeles, and returning to China when he can.
