Leo Thaddeus

Director at DIFF 2026

Leo Thaddeus is a Malayalam writer-director with over 25 years of experience in Kerala’s film industry. His feature films include Pachamarathanalil (2008), Payyans (2011), Oru Cinemakkaran (2017), Lonappante Mamodeesa (2019) and Panthrandu (2022), alongside short films and documentaries. Soul Whisperer (Chevittorma), his sixth feature, marks a deliberate shift from mainstream cinema towards a more personal, independent form. Developed through the NFDC Co-Production Market and Work-in-Progress Lab, and selected for India’s Co-Production Day at Cannes, the film premiered at Busan International Film Festival in 2026.