Jon Paul Puno, Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Director of Marketing Always with a camera in his hands, Jon Paul has always had a natural knack for filmmaking and photography. In high school, a few of his films were invited to screen at over a dozen film festivals with one securing international distribution. He has served on the jury of the Mill Valley International Film Festival in recent years. Similar to some of his previous work, Valle de Lágrimas is influenced by his Catholic faith. Born in San Francisco, CA, he is currently a resident of Orange County, CA. A student at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television in Los Angeles, CA, Jon Paul likes to sing and play sports during his free time. Michael Figari, Director, Producer Hailing from Yuma, AZ, Michael is one of two children. A double major in Cinema-Television and Spanish at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, his interests range from film, salsa dancing, Argentine culture and soccer, specifically the Boca Juniors (CABJ). A proud member of a fraternity, he enjoys having a blast with his frat brothers when they're out in town drinking root beer. Mindful of service, Michael spent his spring break this year helping victims from the Hurricane Katrina disaster. With some experience in editing and screenwriting, Michael is currently taking production classes.