I Am Frankelda – Mexico’s First Stop-Motion Feature Film
Mexico City — In a dimly lit workshop on the south side of Mexico City, a team of artists spent years breathing life into clay, wire, and resin. The result is I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda) — a film that has already made history before its first frame ever flickered on the big screen.
Directed by brothers Arturo and Roy Ambriz and produced by their independent studio Cinema Fantasma, the feature marks a monumental achievement: the first full-length stop-motion animated film ever made in Mexico.
A Handmade Dream Brought to Life
Everything about Frankelda feels personal. Every puppet, prop, and miniature set was built by hand within Cinema Fantasma’s 2,000-square-meter studio — a converted warehouse filled with the rhythmic clatter of tools and the quiet patience of animators moving their creations one frame at a time.
More than 200 puppets and 50 detailed sets populate the gothic world of the film, each piece carrying the fingerprints of the artists who made them. No green screens. No shortcuts. Just raw, physical craft.
“We built everything with our hands,” said co-director Roy Ambriz in an interview with Animation Magazine. “That’s what makes Frankelda alive.”
The brothers, mentored in part by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, had long dreamed of creating a feature that could represent Mexico on the world’s animation stage. Del Toro, himself a champion of practical artistry, publicly praised the team’s persistence and described their work as “a triumph of imagination and resilience.”
From Short Series to Cinematic Folklore
The film expands the mythology introduced in the Ambriz brothers’ earlier anthology series Frankelda’s Book of Spooks, which originally aired on HBO Max. That project introduced viewers to Frankelda, a gothic storyteller with a flair for the macabre and a secret of her own.
In the feature-length version, Frankelda’s story deepens. Set in the late 19th century, she is portrayed as a misunderstood author whose dark tales are dismissed by society. When her imagination spirals into the supernatural, she’s guided by Herneval, a mysterious companion who blurs the line between muse and monster.
The film’s visual language fuses the haunting atmosphere of classic horror with the intimacy of stop-motion performance. Through intricate lighting and tangible textures, I Am Frankelda delivers what digital animation rarely can — a sense of presence so tactile it feels haunted.
A National Milestone
When I Am Frankelda premiered in June 2025 as the opening film of the 40th Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG 40), the response was electric. Audiences and critics alike hailed it as a turning point for Mexican animation.
Festival juries at Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival later awarded it the Silver Audience Award for Best Animated Feature and a Special Jury Mention, recognizing both its artistic ambition and the cultural resonance of its story. It also screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the world’s most prestigious animation event — a major step for a first-time feature team.
By the time the film reached theaters nationwide on October 23 2025, excitement was palpable. Though official box-office figures have yet to be confirmed, early attendance and audience buzz point to a passionate domestic reception.
Cinema Fantasma and the New Mexican Renaissance
Cinema Fantasma — founded by the Ambriz brothers and artist Shinra Avila — has spent the past decade building a name as Mexico’s leading stop-motion studio. Their work includes collaborations with Netflix and Cartoon Network, but Frankelda represents their most ambitious project to date.
Inside their Mexico City studio, artisans blend sculpture, miniature carpentry, painting, and animation into a seamless pipeline. It’s a process that relies as much on patience as it does on precision — with some animators producing only seconds of footage per day.
In interviews, the Ambriz brothers have described their approach as a “celebration of imperfection.” Each frame, slightly flawed and human, becomes part of the film’s emotional rhythm.
That sentiment echoes through every shot of I Am Frankelda: a film that, despite its ghosts and monsters, is deeply alive.
What Comes Next
For now, I Am Frankelda is showing exclusively in Mexican theaters, distributed by Cinépolis Distribución. International release plans have not yet been announced, though industry observers expect updates soon as the film continues its festival run.
Given its critical success and del Toro’s endorsement, Frankelda could become the first Mexican stop-motion feature to reach major global streaming platforms — a milestone that would spotlight the growing strength of Latin American animation.
A Film for Dreamers
I Am Frankelda is more than a film; it’s a statement. It proves that stop-motion — one of cinema’s oldest techniques — still has the power to move audiences in new ways.
It also reaffirms Mexico’s place in the global animation landscape. In a world driven by speed and software, the team at Cinema Fantasma has crafted something stubbornly, beautifully human.
Frankelda, the storyteller at its heart, might say it best:
“Imagination is the only thing stronger than fear.”
Film Information
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Title: I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda)
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Directors: Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz
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Studio: Cinema Fantasma
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Distributor: Cinépolis Distribución
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Country: Mexico
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Technique: Stop Motion Animation
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Runtime: 113 minutes
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Theatrical Release: October 23 2025 (Mexico)
