Ernest Lesmana is an Indonesian independent screenwriter and director currently based in Boston. Ernest moved to the U.S. at the age of 16 to pursue an education in film directing and earned his BFA in Film Production from Emerson College. He is the recipient of the Emerson Blackbox Project grant for his thesis film, Lily, and The Emerson EVVY award for an Outstanding Cinematic Achievement for his short film, ZOO. Recently, his first feature-length screenplay, Impian 1000 Pulau, was produced and received a limited release in Indonesia on October 2018. His works, both in film and photography, revolves around the ordinary chaos of daily lives. His characters frequently come from the margin of society, and his stories often delve into the subjects of familial bond, cultural identity, and morality.