Michael Gonzalez, a New York-based Latino screenwriter and TV writer, holds a degree in Race and Satire from New York University and is currently enrolled in Columbia University's Screenwriting and Directing MFA program. He approaches comedy with a deep seriousness. His short film, HEAT, delves into the dissolution of an interracial couple's relationship, both social media influencers, amidst the backdrop of a wellness retreat one year after the Black Lives Matter movement and during COVID-19. Set in the Hudson Valley, the film explores the complexities of their relationship, where their public personas clash with their private identities. Amid hot yoga, scenic hikes, bird walks, and sound baths, the couple grapples with irreconcilable differences threatening their tranquil getaway, forcing them to confront their true selves amid the serenity they sought to escape to.

Affiliation: Columbia