Russ Emanuel

Russell "Russ" Emanuel is an American director, producer, and independent filmmaker.

Emanuel founded Russem Productions, a Los Angeles based production company in 2002, through which he has produced and directed short and feature-length films.

Early life

Emanuel was born in San Francisco, California and grew up in both Japan and the United States.

Emanuel attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles with an emphasis in film studies, international relations, and Japanese.

Films

Emanuel's first films were shorts, including Her Knight (2003) and Girl with Gun (2006). In 2007, Emanuel produced his first feature film, P.J.. Emanuel subsequently directed the feature film Chasing the Green (2009), starring William Devane, and The Legends of Nethiah (2012) starring John Heard and Robert Picardo. His 2015 horror feature film Occupants, also starring Picardo and Briana White, screened at film festivals including Shriekfest 2016. He was recently inducted into the International Indie Filmmakers Hall of Fame for the year 2025. The International Indie Filmmakers Hall of Fame recognizes and honors individuals who have shown significant contributions and achievements in their field, and an outstanding dedication to the independent filmmaking community as a whole.

Documentaries Emanuel directed and produced the documentary film Restoration of Paradise (2014), about the history of the Bolsa Chica wetlands, which has at different times been a Native American settlement, President Teddy Roosevelt's Gun Club, and a World War II home for artillery batteries. The documentary was narrated by Robert Picardo.

Filmography