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Michael Merino is an internationally acclaimed writer-director known for his sophisticated, tightly contained paranoia thrillers. He started his career on film sets as a production assistant and gained experience across multiple departments including Art, Camera, Electric, Grip, Hair & Make-Up, Wardrobe, Sound, Props, Catering, and Construction. Merino also worked as an Editor in post-production before ultimately focusing on directing, producing, and writing.
Raised in Washington, D.C., Merino is the son of an Irish-Brit-German mother and a father of Spanish-Basque-Sephardic descent who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. Growing up in such a multicultural environment, he is fluent in three languages and possesses a broad global perspective beyond the Americas. After college, he utilized his Spanish skills working for covert agencies, then spent six years traveling and working internationally. His adventures included running with the bulls in Spain and being detained during a coup in Fiji. Throughout his travels, he held various jobs such as short order cook, women’s shoe salesman, carpenter, bartender, pizza maker, door-to-door salesman, house painter, and home contractor. Alongside his academic pursuits, Merino practiced American Kenpo, earning a blue belt before an injury halted his training. He was also once a member of the New York State Bar Association and worked as a stringer for MSNBC, CNN, Turkish TV, and Fox News. Following a diving accident, Merino redirected his focus to the arts during recovery, attending Rockport’s International Film School and The Corcoran School of Art.
In 2003, Merino directed his debut feature, the award-winning action film The Deal. He followed with the 2006 horror feature The Milkman and the thriller 502, which won the prestigious Shakes Award at the Dead Time Film Festival. His critically praised film Our Last Supper further established his reputation. He earned Best Director and Best Screenplay for his short films Times Up and Dream On at the WMIFF. Between 2013 and 2017, he was recognized for his regional commercial and training video work. In 2016, he produced, wrote, and directed the web series DRAKUL, released the following year. In 2019, Merino wrote and directed the action/thriller ACCELERATION (Best Director at NIAFFS Spain 2020), starring Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Chuck Liddell, and Sean Patrick Flanery.
Merino’s latest film, CLUTCH (2025), has earned over a dozen awards globally, including Best Director, Best Film, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Independent Film at the 2025 IFS / L.A. Film Festival. He splits his time between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., has a great love for dogs, and is known for his playful, pirate-like spirit.
