Gay and a native of the Manila slums, Cristal is no stranger to the harsh realities of life. His films, which emphasize voices that are underrepresented, unheard, and underserved, challenge the conventions of his community. As a scholar, Cristal studied digital filmmaking and then worked at the Cultural Center of the Philippines to supervise the promotion and preservation of more than half a century's worth of archives. FAMAS Awards, the Philippines' oldest awarding body for cinema, nominated one of his works for Best Short Film. He has participated in script and pitch programs at Interfilm Berlin in Germany, Drama Film Festival in Greece, and Sundance Film Festival in the U.S.