Southridge High School graduate nominated for regional Emmy, aims for Hollywood success

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - A 20-year-old director from the Tri-Cities is making waves in the local film industry.Gurdil Dardi, a Southridge High School graduate and Central Washington University student, has had his work featured in multiple film festivals and was nominated for a regional Emmy award this year.His passion for filmmaking started when he was in middle school, where he started making short YouTube videos for his friends. That interest followed him to high school."So when I got into the film making program at the Tri Tech Skill Center, during my time in high school, I decided it was something that fit for me, especially seeing people laugh and smile," Dardi said.The young director draws inspiration from other successful filmmakers his age who have achieved box office success, including 26-year-old Curry Barker, director of "Obsession," and Kane Parsons, the 20-year-old director behind "Backrooms." His favorite director of all time is Christopher Nolan.Dardi has already achieved significant recognition in the film industry. His work on a school project earned him a regional student Emmy nomination, and his film "Immiscer" has been featured in multiple film festivals. His upcoming work is also scheduled to premiere at global film festivals.Dardi creates most of his films through his production company, Arc Lens Pictures. It's all a part of his goal to make it big as a director one day."Definitely feature film. I want to get to that level where like Blumhouse Films, we're making films, especially here in Washington State, the Tri-Cities," Dardi said.His most recent accomplishment is his college thesis film titled "To God," a 14-minute movie that premiering June 5 at Central Washington University. The film centers around a mailman who decides to write back to a letter addressed to "God." Dardi's work can be found at his professional website.​COPYRIGHT 2026 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED. Source: https://www.applevalleynewsnow.com/entertainment/southridge-high-school-graduate-nominated-for-regional-emmy-aims-for-hollywood-success/article_068a2008-98d3-4f21-9ceb-08c2c19463be.html