Gatis graduated from the Latvian Academy of Culture in 2016. He has worked as an assistant director on various international and local film projects. A true nature enthusiast, Gatis has spent much of his life outdoors, finding absurdity and comedy in everyday situations against beautiful landscapes. His short films, "Boozers" and "Ludis", are eccentric comedies featuring bizarre characters from Latvian provinces and have won awards at local festivals. "The Burlaks" will be his debut feature.