Michelle Patricia West is a Los Angeles-based director raised outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her short dark comedy, Lesbophilia, starring Vico Ortiz (Our Flag Means Death), Maya Nalli (The Upshaws), and Lana Parrilla (Once Upon A Time), written by Tennessee Martin, is about radical acceptance within relationships even when extremely uncomfortable, winning Stage 32's Short Film Contest, FilmOut San Diego's "Best Short Film Female," Wicked Queer: Boston's "Best in Show," and was an Official Selection at two Oscar-qualifying festivals (HollyShorts and Out On Film: Atlanta) in 2024. Her short drama, Cosmic Love, premiered at the 2022 Pasadena International Film Festival and won "Best Female Empowerment" film at the San Diego International Film Awards.