ioannis’s short film Blends is making its way through the film festival circuit, picking up a win and multiple selections. He has a speculative thriller novel and a post-anthropocene graphic novel out for query. He is also working on new short stories for his collection Encinal Nights.

ioannis is driven to tell stories about working class immigrants because that’s how he grew up, that’s what he knows. His storytelling is vulnerable and empathetic and leans into a character’s relationship dynamics. He shows symbolism of larger themes through surrealism because he sees the world as a sense of mystery and the abstract. He likes to express his stories with lots of color and offbeat visuals--blending his love of Rothko with the weirdness of Cronenberg.

Born to Greek immigrant parents, ioannis is a first generation college graduate. He holds a MFA in Creative Writing from UCR Palm Desert. You can find him urban cycling through Oakland while he thinks of new tattoos to add to his sleeves.