Zoe Manzotti is a magnetic actor, writer, and classically trained pianist who studied acting and filmmaking at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. Raised in L.A.’s South Bay, she began writing screenplays and composing music early, drawn to the emotional and cultural contradictions of the place she called home. Sugar Beach, her debut feature, channels those complexities—where surf culture is insular, racial tensions simmer beneath the surface, and fractured families live among beauty and chaos. With a background in literature and songwriting, Manzotti infuses the script with lyricism and rhythm, crafting dialogue that feels both lived-in and emotionally precise. Her lived experience within queer communities further inform the nuanced portrayal of relationships throughout the trilogy. Her commitment to emotional honestly prevents even the most difficult scenes from veering into exploitation.