Christian Santiago is a Borinquen-Salvadorian writer, director, and producer based in Bushwick, Brooklyn. His work delves into the unspoken tensions of family and cultural identity, often exploring the weight of generational trauma with a deeply personal lens. 

His thesis film, “SACERDOTISA” (NoBudge Audience Award winner), peaked behind the curtain into Santeria and balances conversations between deep-rooted tradition and appropriation. 

His second short film, “EMPATHY (Or: The Girl with the Pearled Hair)” is a stark portrait of adolescent isolation and psychological turmoil that screened at the San Francisco Short Film Festival. 

Across his work, Santiago continues to build films that reflect both his personal lineage and the broader struggle for belonging, healing, and resilience within diasporic communities.

You can find him everywhere @thecateyedboy