#NuevoRico Wins #SXSW 2021 Jury Award, Animated Shorts.

A brother and sister stumble upon a celestial secret that changes their lives forever and propels them into Reggaetón stardom, but they soon discover that their newfound fame comes at a deep price.

Kristian Mercado Figueroa is a Puerto Rican filmmaker living in Spanish Harlem whose music-driven short film Pa’lante won the SXSW Jury Award 2019. His screenplay HawkBells was awarded at Slamdance for screenwriting in 2020. He was an official selection at SXSW 2020 for both Grammy-nominated Black Pumas and Miami Nights. Mercado Figueroa also directed Comedy Specials on Netflix for Hannibal Buress and SNL’s Sam Jay, as well as content for Adult Swim, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Awkwafina, and MF DOOM.

Mercado Figueroa’s distinct voice addresses issues of identity, family, and systemic oppression across race and class. His work is celebrated for it’s poetic portrayal of working class struggles, highlighting the gaps between love and loss.