Ornella Hawthorn Gardez

Ornella is a BAFTA-accredited writer-director who focuses on genre narrative films with dramatic suspense, that take her audience on a rollercoaster of emotions. She is known for making films that start conversations and showcase personal stories that resonate with a global demographic. Having trained as an actor and dancer alongside her parents’ artistic and musical influence, the importance of timing within her films is impressive. Her earlier work shooting and editing extreme sports, has influenced her distinct visual style in creating the rawest most impactful scenes. Ornella’s BAFTA accredited short film Slow-Down screened at multiple BAFTA, BIFA, and Academy Award qualifying film festi…