Manuel Trotta is a Venezuelan writer, director, and actor based in Los Angeles. His latest film, “La Piñata de Marcel” (2024), won the Audience Award for Latinx Short Film at the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival and continues its festival run at events like Urbanworld (NYC) and LALIFF (Los Angeles).

His previous short film, “El Astronauta” (2018), was Oscar-qualified in 2019, acquired by HBO, and received 15 awards across 34 international film festivals, including Cleveland, Edmonton, and Indy Shorts.

Rooted in his Hispanic heritage, Manuel tells visually driven, Spanish-language stories that explore universal themes through intimate, symbolic characters, blending elements of fantasy and magical realism to deepen emotional resonance.

He holds an MFA from the American Film Institute, a Directing Certificate from UCLA Extension, and a Journalism degree from the Central University of Venezuela (UCV). He has also studied theater acting with some of the most respected instructors in Latin America, further sharpening his voice as a multidisciplinary artist.