About Us
Founded in 2018 by Emil Gallardo, Waterlight Films has been recognized for our ability to tell evocative stories that stand out for their authenticity and willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Emil is a Mexican-American writer/director who started his career in Los Angeles in the Production department, working on commercials, independent features, music videos, and TV shows.
After leaving Assistant Directing to concentrate on writing and directing, Emil moved to Oakland and founded Waterlight Films to produce films.
Emil was named one of twenty-five screenwriters to watch in 2021 by the Austin Film Festival and was selected to HBO’s Directing Fellowship. In 2020, he won Panavision’s Future Filmmaker Award and his film, 1, 2, 3, ALL EYES ON ME qualified for the 2021 Academy Awards after winning the Grand Prix at HollyShorts, a Jury Award at the Austin Film Festival and being nominated for the John Singleton Impact Award. That award honors storytellers who give a voice to the underrepresented and inspire change through the art of filmmaking. 1, 2, 3, ALL EYES ON ME can currently be seen on Omeleto’s YouTube channel.
Emil is currently developing two feature films - WARNING SIGNS, about the warning signs of mass shooters, and UNINVITED, a psychological thriller. In addition to film, Emil also directs commercials and SHOW UP, the spot he did for CASA California has been seen over 8 million times.