Meet Michelle Giraldo

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michelle Giraldo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Michelle, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience is born from art itself. From that space where even frustration can be transformed into something beautiful or meaningful. During the years I worked on In My Hands and while writing The Devil’s Bedtime Stories, there were moments when I doubted everything, myself, the story, the process. But there was always something inside me that whispered, “Don’t stop yet, there’s still something to say.”

I also draw strength from the characters I create. They confront their shadows and fears, unknowingly teaching me to face mine. And, of course, from the silences. I’ve learned that being alone with my ideas, even when they hurt, is a sacred space where transformation begins.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a writer and, more than anything, a passionate storyteller. I’ve always believed that words have the power to transform, to heal, and to confront the deepest parts of the human condition. That conviction led me to create, alongside the direction and vision of Isaac Rubio, In My Hands, an animated short film born from a deeply personal need to speak about resilience, art, and identity in an intimate and visually poetic way.

In My Hands is not just an animation; it’s a love letter to the creative act itself. The story revolves around a hand struggling to keep its art alive amidst rejection, frustration, and the emotional toll that sometimes comes with creating. It’s a metaphor for how our creations are extensions of ourselves, and how, even when the world doesn’t seem to understand us, we keep creating because we simply can’t stop.

What makes me unique as an artist is that I’m not afraid to be vulnerable. For me, writing and creating aren’t just a profession, they’re a way of existing. My focus is always on emotional connection, on telling stories that resonate and make whoever experiences them feel a little less alone.

I’m also thrilled to share that In My Hands has been selected for four animation festivals, including screenings in Los Angeles and New York, and it continues its international journey through various festivals around the world. This experience has reaffirmed that when art is born from authenticity, it finds its way. I’m deeply grateful for every space that has opened its doors to my story.

In addition to the short film, I’m currently developing my book titled The Devil’s Bedtime Stories, a dark fantasy work that explores the most unsettling corners of human nature. The book is made up of six short stories told by a devil, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes disturbingly sweet, to a human couple before bed. Each story reveals a morally twisted act committed by ordinary people, not from the supernatural, but from the profoundly human. It’s a dance between morality, fantasy, and uncomfortable intimacy, inviting readers to question what truly makes us human… and what turns us into monsters. What should we be afraid of?

My goal with The Devil’s Bedtime Stories doesn’t end on the page. I’m currently presenting the project to production companies with hopes of adapting it into an audiovisual format. I believe it has strong potential as an anthology miniseries, where each episode tells one of these six stories with its unique visual style, tone, and narrative approach.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I’ve learned that creativity also needs time, space, and patience. Many times, I’ve felt invisible, but instead of giving up, I kept creating, because before anything else, I create for myself. That kind of perseverance, even if no one sees it at first, eventually opens paths.
To those just starting, I’d say: don’t rush to seek external validation. The creative world can be noisy, competitive, and even cruel at times, but your voice has value, even if no one hears it yet. Nurture your sensitivity, even if it hurts. Don’t wait to feel “ready” to create. Art is born in the chaos, not once everything is figured out.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When I feel overwhelmed, which happens more often than people might think, the first thing I do is allow myself to feel it without guilt. Especially during long creative processes like my short film (In My Hands, which took over three years) or my book (The Devil’s Bedtime Stories, which I’ve been working on for more than two years), it’s inevitable to go through moments of doubt, exhaustion, or block.

In those moments, I remind myself that rest is also part of the process. Sometimes that means stepping away from the project for a few days. It also helps to break big tasks into small, manageable steps. When I look at the whole project, it can feel overwhelming, but if I focus on just one scene, one sentence, or one idea, it becomes less daunting.

A piece of advice that has saved me many times: build a loving relationship with your timing. What matters isn’t how long it takes, but how deeply you show up. Authentic creation isn’t a straight line, it’s more of a dance between inspiration and resistance. The most important thing is not to give up completely. Come back. Always come back.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://iranimation1.wixsite.com/michellegiraldo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miichellegiraldo7/