Gilbert Le
- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Born in Malaysia, Gilbert Le immigrated to Kansas City, Missouri, as an infant before settling in Los Angeles, California. From a young age, his talent for fine art was evident in his drawing, painting, and sculpture. As a child, Gilbert was fascinated with film, influenced by his mother's love for Hong Kong Cinema. His inaugural foray into the cinematic realm began with home videos during family outings. College marked a pivotal shift as he transitioned to studying film at the renowned ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, revealing his passion for storytelling.
Prior to film school, Gilbert served as an assistant, shadowing and learning from his mentor Anthony Honn, who was the production designer for legendary music video director, Joseph Kahn, in the late '90s and early 2000s. This hands-on experience was instrumental in shaping Gilbert's filmmaking abilities. At 21, while attending film school, he directed his first short film, "Falling Angel (2003)" featuring an assemble of his high school and college friends. The project took almost two years to complete, as he took on every key position, including directing, writing, producing, cinematography, and editing, all while attending college. Taking a year-long hiatus from school, his multifaceted skill set catapulted him into directing his debut feature film, Virginia (2005), at just 23 years old, starring a relatively unknown future Golden Globe host Jo Koy, comedian Godfrey, and child star, Paige Hurd, securing Warner Bros. distribution deal. The film was honored with the opening red carpet premiere alongside independent film director, Spike Lee, for the Spaghetti Junction Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. A feather in his cap after returning back to film school on a full-scholarship was winning the prestigious Silver Telly Award for his student Coca-Cola commercial, Flight of the Imagination (2004), earning him reverence in the commercial industry.
At the age of 27, Gilbert took the directorial reins for his second feature, "Wubetin Felega (2008)," a cinematic odyssey spanning three transformative months in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, working in harsh working conditions with scarce power and water. Gilbert's unexpected journey soon relocated him to New York City, where he collaborated with renowned fashion designers Zac Posen and Jill Stuart. Additionally, he embarked on a feature-length documentary about legendary icon Diane von Fürstenberg in Timeless style of DVF (2014). Gilbert continued to expand his portfolio, directing Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx in a national PSA Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with Jamie Foxx (2012) and collaborated with luminaries including The Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, Michael Madsen, and Oscar nominee Lee Daniels-all achieved before reaching his mid-30s.
Gilbert later wove his passion for politics by playing a key role in both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's campaigns, contributing to campaigns that collectively gained over 1 billion views. During his tenure with the Digital Video Team, he juggled multiple roles, mentoring budding filmmakers, and produced political ad content across America. In the political arena, he collaborated with his colleague, Olympic icon Michelle Kwan, to produce AAPI for Hillary (2016) featuring interviews with George Takei, Constance Wu, and Daniel Dae Kim. Gilbert showcased his creative flair in a promo video for Richard Branson fundraising dinner, dedicated to disaster relief and the National Tennis Foundation. His philanthropic spirit shone through collaborations with supermodels Coco Rocha and Behati Prinsloo, supporting Haitian orphanages. A significant role was his involvement on the music video "Tonight (2021)" featuring notable figures such as Simu Liu, Kelly Hu, Lisa Ling, and Dante Basco, an anthemic piece for the #StopAsianHate movement. His latest achievement was the acclaim for his first short film as a sole writer and director "The Lonely Planet (2017)" clinching Best Writing and Best Narrative awards at the 2017 Chain Film Festival in New York. Most recently, Gilbert directed famed actress Jamie Chung in an ad for ADT authorized provider: SafeSteets (2022).
Le's journey from humble beginnings, starting early in life, has evolved into a dynamic career. His narrative serves as a testament to his remarkable abilities, leadership, and unwavering commitment to artistic expression and societal change. Currently, he is directing a feature-length documentary, 49er Legend Dwight Hicks: Inches Make Champions about the 49er legend Dwight Hicks, and is also actively writing multiple screenplays.
Prior to film school, Gilbert served as an assistant, shadowing and learning from his mentor Anthony Honn, who was the production designer for legendary music video director, Joseph Kahn, in the late '90s and early 2000s. This hands-on experience was instrumental in shaping Gilbert's filmmaking abilities. At 21, while attending film school, he directed his first short film, "Falling Angel (2003)" featuring an assemble of his high school and college friends. The project took almost two years to complete, as he took on every key position, including directing, writing, producing, cinematography, and editing, all while attending college. Taking a year-long hiatus from school, his multifaceted skill set catapulted him into directing his debut feature film, Virginia (2005), at just 23 years old, starring a relatively unknown future Golden Globe host Jo Koy, comedian Godfrey, and child star, Paige Hurd, securing Warner Bros. distribution deal. The film was honored with the opening red carpet premiere alongside independent film director, Spike Lee, for the Spaghetti Junction Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. A feather in his cap after returning back to film school on a full-scholarship was winning the prestigious Silver Telly Award for his student Coca-Cola commercial, Flight of the Imagination (2004), earning him reverence in the commercial industry.
At the age of 27, Gilbert took the directorial reins for his second feature, "Wubetin Felega (2008)," a cinematic odyssey spanning three transformative months in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, working in harsh working conditions with scarce power and water. Gilbert's unexpected journey soon relocated him to New York City, where he collaborated with renowned fashion designers Zac Posen and Jill Stuart. Additionally, he embarked on a feature-length documentary about legendary icon Diane von Fürstenberg in Timeless style of DVF (2014). Gilbert continued to expand his portfolio, directing Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx in a national PSA Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with Jamie Foxx (2012) and collaborated with luminaries including The Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, Michael Madsen, and Oscar nominee Lee Daniels-all achieved before reaching his mid-30s.
Gilbert later wove his passion for politics by playing a key role in both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's campaigns, contributing to campaigns that collectively gained over 1 billion views. During his tenure with the Digital Video Team, he juggled multiple roles, mentoring budding filmmakers, and produced political ad content across America. In the political arena, he collaborated with his colleague, Olympic icon Michelle Kwan, to produce AAPI for Hillary (2016) featuring interviews with George Takei, Constance Wu, and Daniel Dae Kim. Gilbert showcased his creative flair in a promo video for Richard Branson fundraising dinner, dedicated to disaster relief and the National Tennis Foundation. His philanthropic spirit shone through collaborations with supermodels Coco Rocha and Behati Prinsloo, supporting Haitian orphanages. A significant role was his involvement on the music video "Tonight (2021)" featuring notable figures such as Simu Liu, Kelly Hu, Lisa Ling, and Dante Basco, an anthemic piece for the #StopAsianHate movement. His latest achievement was the acclaim for his first short film as a sole writer and director "The Lonely Planet (2017)" clinching Best Writing and Best Narrative awards at the 2017 Chain Film Festival in New York. Most recently, Gilbert directed famed actress Jamie Chung in an ad for ADT authorized provider: SafeSteets (2022).
Le's journey from humble beginnings, starting early in life, has evolved into a dynamic career. His narrative serves as a testament to his remarkable abilities, leadership, and unwavering commitment to artistic expression and societal change. Currently, he is directing a feature-length documentary, 49er Legend Dwight Hicks: Inches Make Champions about the 49er legend Dwight Hicks, and is also actively writing multiple screenplays.