Iesh Thapar is a writer and director of film, TV, and video games from the UK, who has lived all over the world, soaking up diverse cultures and stories that inspire his work. His twin daughters keep him on his toes and fill his days with chaos and joy, serving as daily muses for his creative endeavors. 

 

A certified fan of swoon-worthy Korean dramas, folk rock playlists, Manchester United, and comfort foods like aloo parathas, pizza, and kimchi jjigae, Iesh believes the best stories often begin with the simplest pleasures - to him, good stories emerge not just from grand ideas but from the deeply personal, from the struggles, joys, and quirks of life that make us human.

 

Iesh's short films have screened at top international festivals like the BFI London Film Festival, Aspen Shortfest, and Palm Springs. His work has earned support from Film London, the BFI Network, the Sundance Institute, Film Independent, ESPN, and the Tribeca Film Institute, among others.

 

Recognized as one of the UK’s 'Lodestars' rising stars of cinema, Iesh is also a BAFTA LA Scholar/Newcomer, a John Brabourne Award winner, and the recipient of the 2017 Ezra Litwak Award for distinction in screenwriting.​ In recent years, Iesh was a selected director for the BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew program, participated in the Film Independent Screenwriting Lab and Fast Track finance market, and was a mentee (and later, mentor) in the '1497' South Asian Features Talent Incubator Lab.

 

He holds an MFA in Film from Columbia University’s School of the Arts and is currently developing his debut feature Alien Kulture, adapting 'The Painter Of Signs' by celebrated Indian author R. K. Narayan for the screen, and has several TV shows in development, including an adaptation of the award-winning novel by Preti Teneja, 'We That Are Young'. When he’s not crafting stories, Iesh is likely chasing his kids, re-watching his favorite dramas, or cooking up his next favorite meal.