A Mexican stop-motion milestone born from a small-scale television concept
In short: What began as a planned half-hour special for HBO Max ballooned into a sweeping two-hour gothic musical. This ambitious project, directed by Arturo and Roy Ambriz, became the first Mexican film produced entirely using stop-motion techniques, eventually finding a mentor in Guillermo del Toro.
Released in 2025, I Am Frankelda is a dark fantasy prequel to the Cartoon Network Latin America series Frankelda's Book of Spooks. The film follows Francisca Imelda, an aspiring horror writer in 1866 Post-colonial Mexico, whose fictional stories about a realm called the Topus Terrenus turn out to be real in a parallel dimension. The narrative explores themes of plagiarism and identity as the character Procustes attempts to steal Francisca's creative essence. In this story, Prince Herneval discovers the human world by following her written tales. This discovery leads to a conflict where the royal advisor tries to mimic her unique writing style.
The production of the film was a significant independent achievement. Originally conceived as a short special, the script grew so large that the directors, Arturo and Roy Ambriz, had to self-fund much of the project using savings from their other proposed film, The Ballad of the Phoenix. The project also benefited from the mentorship of Guillermo del Toro, who helped refine the theatrical cut. The brothers' financial commitment ensured the film's completion. This independent effort resulted in a production that was entirely self-funded.
The film's journey through the festival circuit began on June 6, 2025, when it opened the 40th Guadalajara International Film Festival. It subsequently screened at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 11 and the 29th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 20. Following its theatrical run in Mexico, Panama, and Guatemala, Netflix acquired the worldwide rights in February 2026, scheduling a premiere for June 12, 2026. The movie's commercial release in Mexican cinemas occurred in October 2025. It was distributed by Cinépolis Distribución.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: I Am Frankelda
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