Jon Paul A. Puno was born on New Year’s Eve 1985, fifteen minutes before midnight, in San Francisco, California. He never expected that his childhood hobby would lead him to pursue a career as a director/producer in the film industry. Previously, he had considered becoming a singer, a writer, and a doctor.

With a childhood interest in photography and video, he started getting into filmmaking in the eighth grade. Filmmaking seemed like an in-born ability for him and he soon began to discover his innate talents when he began high school. In 2003, his short film, Water; A Source of Life and Death, made its world premiere at the 26th Mill Valley International Film Festival and went on to screen at film festivals across the nation including ones in Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, and Texas. His latest project, Peace Grows, which has screened in international film festivals in Spain, Poland, California, and Michigan is now in worldwide distribution through Pace e Bene, an agency of the St. Barbara Province of Franciscan Friars.

Jon Paul has also been invited to serve on the Mill Valley International Film Festival Screening Committee for the past two years. In addition to filmmaking, he does volunteer work and has received awards from his high school for his service.

He is currently a student at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television.

Archbishop Riordan High School FilmFest 2001: San Francisco, CA
Grand Festival Award, Best Music Video

Archbishop Riordan High School FilmFest 2002: San Francisco, CA
Official Selection

Reel Teens Video Showcase: Mill Valley, CA
Mill Valley Public Library

Mill Valley International Film Festival: Mill Valley, CA
Official Selection, World Premiere

Anchorage International Film Festival: Anchorage, AK
Official Selection, Alaska Premiere

Austin Film Festival: Austin, TX
Official Selection, Texas Premiere

Atlanta Film Festival: Atlanta, GA
Official Selection, Georgia Premiere

Chicago Filipino-American Film Festival: Chicago, IL
Official Selection, Illinois Premiere

Griffon International Film Festival: St. Joseph, MO
Official Selection, Missouri Premiere

Imperial Beach International Film Festival: Imperial Beach, CA
Official Selection

Ojai Film Festival: Ojai, CA
Official Selection

Orinda Film Festival: Orinda, CA
Official Selection

Hermosa Beach Film Festival: Hermosa Beach, CA
Official Selection

WESTfest Short Film+Video Competition: Abilene, TX
Official Selection

City Shorts Student Film Festival: San Francisco, CA
Official Selection

Moonlight Film Festival: Benicia, CA
Official Selection, Special Award for Excellence in Cinematography

Reel Teens Video Showcase: Mill Valley, CA
Mill Valley Public Library

Zoe's Picks: Mill Valley, CA
Mill Valley Public Library Collection

Produced for Pace e Bene, an agency of the St. Barbara Province of the Franciscan Friars of California. Now in worldwide distribution.

Tulipanes Latino Art & Film Festival: Holland, MI
Official Selection, World Premiere

Festival Internacional de Cine y Derechos Humanos: Barcelona, Spain
(International Film Festival of Human Rights)
Official Selection, Western European Premiere

Międzynarodowy Katolicki Festiwal Filmów i Multimediów: Warsaw, Poland
(International Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival)
Official Selection, Eastern European Premiere

Brentwood Film Festival: Brentwood, CA
Official Selection, California Premiere

Moonlight Film Festival: Benicia, CA
Official Selection, Special Award for Excellence in Cinematography