About

John-Paul Panelli is a writer and director based in the City of Angels. He carries the unique moniker bestowed in honor of the late Pope, being born during a lunar eclipse and hailing from the “Biggest Little City in the World.” Equipped with a BFA in Journalism and Psychology from SDSU, he honed his cinematic storytelling further at NYFA and UCLA Extension in directing.

After co-writing a feature starring Denise Richards and Mike Tyson, he directed his debut horror feature, which Epic Pictures distributed. With a portfolio spanning a dozen short horror films, John-Paul has garnered awards at various festivals, been a finalist in the Screencraft Fellowship & Screencraft Horror, ranked in the top 5% of Coverfly, and WeScreenplay, Roadmap & Miramax Recommended.

Because of his quaint mountain town beginnings, he developed a relentless curiosity about the human psyche, backpacked through 40 countries across five continents, seeking to unravel the diverse interpretations of God and the universal essence of fear. These experiences served as the fertile ground from which he cultivates atmospheric, dark, horrifying stories that delve into the layers of belonging, trust, and primal terror, all while exploring the complexities of fractured relationships through the lens of different mythologies, religious allegories, and various folklore. Despite his intimate draw to things that go bump in the night, he still harbors a paradoxical fear of the dark.

contact: jppanelli@gmail.com