Rene Ifrah was born in Germany, but his upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, had a profound influence on his life. Growing up in the culturally diverse neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay/Gravesend/Brighton Beach, Rene was exposed to the unique blend of Italian, Jewish, and Russian cultures.
Rene's formal acting training began at the prestigious Laguardia High School for the Performing Arts in New York, where he honed his craft under the guidance of William Alderson and Robert Carnegie. His training continued in Los Angeles, further refining his skills.
In 1999, Rene took a two-week vacation to Germany, where he was offered a role in a European television series. His initial three-week stay turned into six years, during which he built a promising TV and film career. However, relearning the German language was a significant challenge for Rene. After struggling for a few months, he mastered the language without any accent.
Rene's breakthrough in Europe came when he was discovered by renowned casting agent Annette Borgmann while performing in the Berlin theater scene. His lead role in the production of 'Private Eyes' at the Friends of Italian Opera-The English Theater caught Borgmann's attention, leading to his casting in the film "September", directed by Max Faerberboeck.
In "September", Rene played a Pakistani pizza store owner who sympathized with the terrorists on 9/11, a role that was ideologically challenging given his own Jewish-American background. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (2003),opening new doors for Rene.
His most notable success came as the lead in Miguel Alexandre's "With Love From Kashmir". Rene played the role of a foreign architect, Sharif Mishra, torn between his love for a German woman and his sense of responsibility towards his family and war-torn country of Kashmir. For this exceptional performance, Rene was honored with the prestigious Grimme Prize for Best Actor (2005).
Rene has also demonstrated his versatility in action films, such as "Blood of the Templars", directed by Florian Baxmeyer. In this film, he played an assassin working for one of two rival Templar families, undergoing extensive physical training for the role.
Most recently, Rene had the lead role in the comedy "Zorres" directed by Anja Jacobs. In this film, he played a German-Jewish character, Leo Rosen, a handsome, lovable, yet total mama's boy who works as a coach for a youth soccer team.
With his roots firmly planted in New York's melting pot, Rene has been able to expand and broaden his technique from his many experiences in Europe. Whether playing a belligerent Pakistani immigrant, a conflicted partner in a multi-racial couple, or a goofy and charming Jewish soccer coach, Rene's talent continues to impress and entertain audiences.
Considering the variety of strong roles behind him, we can certainly expect many more promising appearances from Rene Ifrah in the years to come.
