Alex Garland (born 1970) is a British novelist, screenwriter, and director. He gained fame with his debut novel 'The Beach' (1996), a bestseller adapted into a film. Garland later wrote screenplays for '28 Days Later' (2002) and 'Sunshine' (2007). In 2015, he directed 'Ex Machina', winning an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. His works explore themes of technology, humanity, and survival.