Lara Panah-Izadi

Lara Panah-Izadi is a French American writer and director. Her first play was selected for the 2014 Yale Playwright’s Festival. In 2015, she directed and edited a documentary based on The Seagull by Chekhov featuring Kevin Kline. In 2017, she directed and edited her first narrative short, “Chloe,” a psychological thriller. That year, Lara also moved to LA to work in creative development at Paramount Television Studios. Her second short film “The Summer of Snakes,” a biographical drama inspired by the life of artist Niki de Saint Phalle, was produced by Levantine Films (Hidden Figures, Beasts of No Nation) and has won multiple awards at festivals in Europe and the US in 2021. Lara also learned her craft by working on the sets of major hollywood directors including Barry Levinson, Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher. Her latest short film, “Normal,” a poetic dark comedy, was funded through the Kering Foundation.
Lara has also directed music videos and is currently developing two TV shows (one with a US studio) and her first feature which she is planning to direct soon. Lara holds a BA degree in Mathematics and Philosophy and Theater Studies from Yale College and graduated in 2020 from the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women+ program. She also recently graduated from Serial Eyes at the DFFB

Pomegranate TV series / Creator and writer
In development with Fox Studios

2026 / Normal / Writer Director
Eldorado Productions and The Kering Foundation

2022 / For Those who Secretly Listen / Director
4 Short Films

2021 / The Summer of Snakes / Writer Director
Levantine Films

2025 / Serial Eyes 

2020/ AFI Directing Workshop for Women 

2014 / Yale College