Valentin Sandoval
Valentin Sandoval was born and raised in El Paso, TX and was the recipient of the first Film Award given by The University of Texas at El Paso in 1996.
He went on to win three other awards for his documentary work on the U.S. prison systems, focusing on teachers who utilized language and literature as a means to slowly eradicate recidivism.
He is the son of a single mother who raised four children while becoming a U.S. Citizen fifteen years ago. She is the subject of his first book, a searing poetic narrative titled South Sun Rises. The book was the recipient of the 2016 Southwest Book Award. Early on he worked on studio films, learning the process of major studio film productions and has spent the past fifteen years working as a producer.
Alongside his partner, businessman Don Shapiro, Valentin created Power at the Pass, a studio which serves as a creative incubator that supports, entrepreneurs, technological innovators, and promotes the many cultures encompassing the borderland region of El Paso & Juarez.
