Watch Eight23 Films on AMAZON by clicking on the links below:
KO AFNO https://amzn.to/3639BiA
CHANGING SHADOW https://amzn.to/2O9bzYs
SECOND LOOK https://amzn.to/3b5cGBn
Recent Work
After honing his craft alongside veteran editor Peggy Davis on the acclaimed shorts Changing Shadow and Second Look, Anil returned to his roots in Nepal to create his first feature film, KO AFNO (“To Whom Do You Belong?”). Released in 2014, the film wove a poignant story of identity and belonging that resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. It was honored as one of only three films shortlisted to represent Nepal at the 88th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. At Nepal’s prestigious NEFTA Awards in 2016, Ko Afno won Best Makeup and earned a Best Actress nomination — affirming its place as a milestone in contemporary Nepalese cinema.
About Us
Los Angeles–based Eight23 Films was founded by writer, producer, and director Anil Thapa to create independent feature films that bridge mainstream entertainment with art-house sensibilities. A longtime Los Angeles resident since 1988, Thapa traces his passion for storytelling back to his childhood in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he first discovered the power of cinema to shift perception and inspire change.
From the creative vision of KO AFNO, an acclaimed filmmaker known for bold, insightful storytelling comes EASTERN ROSE — a sweeping cross-cultural romance that transcends borders.
Set against the vibrant yet divided backdrop of Los Angeles, with its cinematic contrasts — East and West, wealth and struggle, spirituality and excess — the story delivers universal themes of resilience, redemption, and the unifying power of love.
Logline
An immigrant girl from Nepal, fleeing her abusive uncle in Los Angeles, finds herself entangled with a wealthy Jewish family and their troubled son. As cultures clash and forbidden love blossoms, she must risk everything — including her dreams — to save him and herself.
Eight23 Films is also developing A Perfect Plan, a contemporary Los Angeles–based crime thriller built around the chilling tagline: “You are the victim of your own mind.”
Logline
A desperate man’s suicide attempt collides with a twisted family feud, unraveling into a dark tale where fate, deception, and guilt converge in one fatal bullet.