Thop Nazareno is an internationally recognized, award-winning Filipino director whose work bridges critical acclaim and genuine audience connection. He is best known for Kiko Boksingero and Edward, two landmark films widely cited as among the most important Filipino works of their generation.

Kiko Boksingero emerged as a major festival success, winning multiple top honors at Cinemalaya and going on to receive awards from Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the Urduja Film Festival, and the Young Critics Circle. Edward further solidified Nazareno’s standing with the Special Jury Prize at Cinemalaya 2019, alongside nominations from Gawad Urian, FAMAS, and LUNA—affirming his ability to deliver artistically ambitious work recognized across the industry.

Equally fluent in mainstream storytelling, Nazareno broke through to television with Niña Niño (TV5/Netflix), which won Best Drama Series at the 2021 Asian Academy Creative Awards, representing the Philippines in the international competition. He has since directed the hit Wattpad adaptation Chasing in the Wild and the award-winning series Ang Himala ni Niño, demonstrating range across platforms and formats. His most recent feature, The Ride, is now streaming on Netflix, extending his work to a global audience.