Kristian Mercado Figueroa is a multifaceted Puerto Rican filmmaker residing in the vibrant neighborhood of Spanish Harlem, whose innovative music-driven short film, Pa'lante, garnered the prestigious SXSW Jury Award in 2019.
As a director, Mercado has had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse array of renowned talents, including Hasan Minhaj, Billie Eilish, Awkwafina, Bad Bunny, Bob Marley, MF Doom, My Chemical Romance, and Adult Swim, to name a few.
In addition to his work in the film industry, Mercado has also directed comedy specials for prominent comedians such as Hannibal Buress, SL's Sam Jay, and London Hughes, which were released on the popular streaming platform, Netflix.
Furthermore, Mercado has also ventured into the realm of episodic series, creating the engaging and informative program Cheat Sheet, which, with the help of actress Ilana Glazer, demystified the voting process for a wide audience, making complex political concepts more accessible and easier to understand.
