In the wake of its North American premiere at Fantasia last summer, Netflix has announced the acquisition of I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda), the history-making stop-motion film from directors Arturo and Roy Ambriz. Netflix is planning to release the film globally in 2026.
Developed by the Ambriz brothers and their Mexico City-based studio, Cinema Fantasma, the film marks a milestone as Mexico’s first-ever feature-length stop-motion production.
The Ambriz brothers, as protégés of Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro, crafted the film with del Toro serving as a creative guide to the filmmakers.
Guillermo del Toro said in a statement today, “Frankelda is a landmark in Mexican Stop-Motion animation and a true triumph of vision, tenacity and love for the craft.”
Here’s the synopsis: “In 19th-century Mexico, Frankelda is a gifted writer whose dark tales are ignored and dismissed. Forced to suppress her voice, she refuses to give up, even as many try to silence her. But when she is thrust into her subconscious, the very monsters she created come to life.
“Guided by Herneval, a tormented prince trapped between dreams and nightmares, she must restore balance between fiction and reality before both realms collapse. Meanwhile, the sinister writer Procustes and his conspirators plot to seize control. As Frankelda and Herneval grow closer, their bond becomes both a strength and a curse.
“To rewrite their fate, she must confront a love that defies existence and reclaim her power as a storyteller—before dark forces consume her imagination and reveal horrors beyond her creation.”
Mireya Mendoza, Arturo Mercado Jr., and Luis Leonardo Suarez lead the voice cast.
Meagan Navarro wrote in her Fantasia review of I Am Frankelda for Bloody Disgusting, “Mexico’s first stop-motion animated feature is a macabre beauty with impossibly designed characters and an abundance of passion for monsters, even if a bit unwieldy.”
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