Meet Gabriela Gonzalez

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriela Gonzalez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriela, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was raised in the small city of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Ever since I was a little girl, I grew up with the dream of someday being able to act in front of a camera. I used to see it only as a fleeting dream; it felt too distant— too unobtainable. It wasn’t until the age of 15 that everything would change for me. A close encounter with death, followed by some of the toughest years of my life, would finally shape that dream into an unstoppable heart desire. I realized that exact dream was planted in my heart for a reason, and I was determined to take a real shot at it.

When I was 17, I moved to the United States with my mom to finally pursue an acting career, terrified to speak a foreign language, yet excited to start a path that felt God-appointed.
After a couple of years in the U.S. and a couple of commercial, and T.V. gigs under my belt, I was ready to dive in deeper. Surprisingly, the more I fell in love with acting, the more I realized I was actually just in love with storytelling. My dream started to shift in a direction where I not only wanted to be a part of the story as an actor, but I wanted to tell stories of my own. Not for the sake of “money making” but for the sake of building people through cinematic and compelling stories that promote values that are under-represented in the entertainment industry today— values of love, faith, patience, forgiveness, truthfulness, righteousness, and selflessness, which I model after the humble teachings of Jesus Christ.

Throughout my life, I’ve used movies as a refuge; however, I noticed that movies succeeded at entertaining me, but often failed to nourish me. I became aware that a lot of my understanding of the world came through… movies. My understanding of love, friendships, trust, loyalty, and response to hardships- are things I subconsciously picked up on a screen.
I am 25 years old now, and I realized that films have power to evoke change, whether it’s in hearts, perspectives, or thought patterns. Art is a tool that can be used for good or evil, so it is an honor to invite you to be entertained, but also nourished. That is my goal: to make films that feel like treats for the soul, and most importantly, invite you to something bigger.
In a world of separation, we need unity; in a world of chaos, we need peace; in a world filled with hurt, we need healing; and where hate prevails, we desperately need love. I’d like to display, on screen, things that remind us of that great love.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It has honestly been extremely difficult. I almost want to say it’s been near impossible to undertake something this ambitious as my first short film. In the making of this story, I’ve endured many challenges along the way—headaches, heartaches, and a tremendous amount of responsibility. As we all know, “with great responsibility comes great sacrifice.” It is a daily commitment you have to make to your project. It is easy to come up with an idea, but it is a tedious thing to maintain it and nurture it.

That’s how plants grow. You start with a small seed, and it can be quite easy to put that small seed into a pot. However, the tricky part is: how do you keep that small seed alive? What’s the proper care for it? How regularly do you have to tend to it? These are all questions you start to ask yourself when beginning a project or a business. Now that the idea is born, how am I going to protect it? What is my role in making sure that this small seed sprouts? The short answer is that it takes consistency and tremendous loads of patience.

It can be extremely time-consuming, there is risk involved, and the weather conditions can change when you least expect it. Nonetheless, being able to ‘roll with the punches’ and adapt with grace—regardless of the circumstances—is truly a trial of its own.

I am most grateful for the wisdom gained from the things that laid outside of my comfort zone. Unprepared, and under-qualified, but willing to step boldly in faith. I’ve learned that it’s okay to have trials and difficulties. God Himself says to rejoice when we encounter problems, because in the end, those problems help us develop endurance. I like to keep this reminder at the forefront of what I do; it has revived situations that seemed dead time and time again. It has kept me moving forward and not shying away from hardships.

I am very excited to see what we’ve made, and I could not be more grateful.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It is with great fondness that I want to thank and acknowledge the outstanding team behind my first short film, ‘My Gift to You’. These people have stood by me with a willing and kind attitude whenever difficulty struck. I am so blessed to have people around me willing to believe— believe in the end goal, even when it gets hard to see it through because everything around us is falling apart. My fellow believers; I could not do this without you, and I am immensely proud of the work you’ve put in.

I want to thank my Assistant Director, Isabella Garcia, for taking on this challenge with me and showing outstanding integrity through it all. It shows that that very principle lays at the core of her being. She has been reliable and dependable, a right arm in battle. I want to thank my amazing Cinematographer, Nathanael Ryman, who said yes to an idea three years ago that developed into what it is today- a short film ready to go into post production! Nathanael, tremendously talented, tremendously capable. Thank you for captivating us all with your graceful dance with the camera; it is truly mesmerizing to watch. Thank you to my Executive Producer, Bejan Farmazi for all the help on set, this could not have happened without you, and I am so thankful. Thank you for your composure and swift problem-solving skills— so knowledgeable and determined. Finally, thank you to Alex Garcia, who partnered with me in this project, who is always a call away to provide expertise, and wise advice.

While living in an era of immediate gratification, it can be a bit frustrating when you don’t see results right away; nonetheless, it is extremely refreshing to remember that good things take time, stewardship, and patience. My team, the fruit of our labor will yield in due time! Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Instagram: gabygz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaby.gonzalez.1272/

Image Credits
picture credits Alissa Lane Nathanael Ryman Brandon Watson Macy Todd Isabella Garcia