As a director and cinematographer, Manuel makes documentaries and music videos committed to reshaping narratives around Black masculinity, intimacy, class, and lineage. Originally from New Orleans, he examines complex Southern identities and how inheritance and history influence Black communities. His directing credits include This Body, which explores the relationship between Black people and the healthcare industry; Nonstop, about the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on New Orleans’ Black community; and Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero. His forthcoming feature documentary, Bloodthicker, chronicles three childhood friends as they define their artistic identities in the presence and absence of their famous fathers. Manuel’s work has been screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance, BlackStar Film Festival, and BAM Cinema Fest.
