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Chilean Animation

The Path Of Animation In Times Of The Pandemic

In a year completely different to what we are used to, and despite the abrupt changes in our way of life, the world of animation keeps turning, our industry does not stop. Some finished Chilean productions are proof of this, traveling the world to festivals, enjoying success and recognition. We reviewed the path of five projects in times of a pandemic.

NAHUEL AND THE MAGIC BOOK
Nahuel is a lonely Chilote boy, who has a deep fear of the sea. He spends his days helping his father, Antonio, in the small fishing town where they live. Their relationship is cold and distant. Nahuel believes that all of this is because his father, a great fisherman, is disappointed to have a son who won’t go to sea.


“Nahuel is a film that has become a milestone for animation in Chile, because it is a movie with a technical and artistic quality that has never been seen in the country before. An extensive co-production network working as a team, over 200 people. It has been a long time since we had an animated movie of such characteristics in Chile, with local elements that have been a plus during the screenings at festivals. We hope that this is  only the first of many more films to come from Carburadores, and why not, from all the audiovisual industry in Latin America.”
German Acuña – Director

Format: Feature Film
Production: Carburadores TV
Runtime: 98 min
Target audience: Family
Team:
Original idea: Juan Pablo Sepúlveda
Script: Juan Pablo Sepúlveda y Germán Acuña
Direction: Germán Acuña
Animation director: Enrique Ocampo
Music: Felicia Morales y Cristobal Carvajal

Awards:– International Animation Festival – Chilemonos. Chile, 2020: Best Feature Film from Latin America.
– Tokyo Anime Award Festival. Japan, 2021: Excellence Award.
 
Selections/ Nominations:
– Nominated at the 2021 Quirino Awards, in 2 categories:
Best Ibero-American Animation Feature Film and Best Animation Design of Ibero-American Animation Work.
– d’Annecy Festival. France, 2020: Official Competition.
– Schlingel International Film Festival. Germany, 2020: Official Selection.
– New York International Children’s Film Festival. United States, 2021: Official Selection.
– Toronto Animation Arts Festival International. Canada, 2021: Official Selection.
– Stockholm International Film Festival. Sweden, 2021: Official Selection.

PETIT
Petit is a very special kid, who is always turning simple daily things such as his swimming course, a difficult homework or a simple insect bite into an adventure. Joined by his friends, he shares his special way of seeing the world, always asking original questions and finding his own answers.


“Petit is a very special preschool kid because, based on the work of Isol, it speaks about kids’ daily life, with a sharp sense of humor and from the perspective of a kid. I think that this is the reason why the series has established a strong connection with its audience and could reach commercial success”. Bernardita Ojeda: Director

Format: Series
Production: Pájaro
Runtime: 2 seasons (39 episodes)
Target Audience: Children
Distribution: Dandelooo (France)

Team
Original idea: Isol Misenta
Script: Fernando Salem
Direction: Bernardita Ojeda
Animation director: Simón Ramírez
Music: Gustavo Pomeranec

Awards and Recognitions 

Winner

  • Quirino Award for Best Ibero-American Series 2021
  • International Animation Festival Chilemonos. Chile, 2018:  
    First place, category “Best Latin American Animated Series.”
  • Bit Bang Festival. Argentina, 2018: Best Latin American Animated Series. 
  • ATVC Awards.  Argentina, 2018: Children’s Category.
  • Prix Jeunesse Iberoamericano. Brasil ,2019: Preschool Category.
  • Divercine. Uruguay, 2020: Best Ibero-American Production.
     
    Selections/ Nominations
  • d’Annecy Festival. France, 2019: Official Selection “Animated series for television.” 
  • Emmy Kids Awards. 2020: Nominee “Kids: Preschool”
  • Manchester Animation Festival. UK, 2018.
  • Festival Kolibrí. Bolivia, 2018.
  • Cinema Crianza. Spain, 2018.
  • Ale Kino!  Poland, 2018
  • Mi Primer Festival. Perú.
  • Kingtoon. Jamaica.
  • Quirino Awards. Spain. 2020 and 2021

STRANGE CREATURES
One summer day the animals of the forest are invited to a party. They eat a ton of cake and dance all night long. When the party is over, they find that all of the trees they use for shelter and food are gone. Strange creatures have stolen their homes, so they decide to go search for them.

“What consequences do our actions have on other animals and on the plant world? Strange Creatures aims at awakening empathy in children and adults towards other species and to question the position of humans on the planet. It’s also an effort at making an animated short film that is both educational and experimental, loving and wild, as if it were filmed by rabbits and bears.”
Cristóbal León – Director

Format: Stop-Motion, Rotoscopy
Production: Diluvio / Globo Rojo
Runtime: 15 min, 20 seg
Target Audience: Children (with an enjoyable dimension for adult audiences).

Team
Original idea: Cristina Sitja Rubio
Script: Cristóbal León y Cristina Sitja Rubio
Direction: Cristóbal León y Cristina Sitja Rubio
Animation director: Cristóbal León y Cristina Sitja Rubio
Music: Diego Lorenzini

Awards and RecognitionsWinner

  • SANFIC Festival. Chile: “Local Talent” Competition.
  • Lateinamerikanische Filmtage Festival. Germany: “Eine Welt” Competition.
     
    Selections/ Nominations:
  • Fantasia International Film Festival. Canada.
  • FIDMarseille. France.
  • SANFIC. Chile.
  • Turku Animated Film Festival. Finland.
  • ANIMARIO. Spain.
  • 60th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Greece.
  • Mar del Plata International Film Festival. Argentina.
  • ANIMASIVO. México.
  • ANTOFACINE. Chile.
  • TRANSCINEMA. Perú.
  • Lateinamerikanische Filmtage München. Germany.
  • 66th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. Germany.
  • ANIMAKOM FEST 2020. Spain.
  • 18th TABOR FILM FESTIVAL. Croatia.
  • ANIMATOU. Switzerland.
  • Cortos en Grande – ONDAMEDIA. Chile.
  • Ale Kino!  Poland.
  • Zeitgeist Film Festival. United States.

MAGIC DREAM
Magic Dream is a hand-painted stop-motion animated short that tells the story of a magician on stage trying to perform his show. As he fails at his tricks, he loses control and becomes weak. Timidly, the magician returns to the stage and tries to pull a rabbit out of his hat. The rabbit rejects him and his environment. While he continues to fall apart, the rabbit offers to help him fight the confusing magic and the lack of control in his life.

A magician wants to be convincing with his magic and brilliance, but his capabilities exceed the limits of his own control, leading him to a show full of violence and abuse.

”Magic Dream, created in the 2013-2018 life journey, is an absurd in the time of cholera. The animated creature is a little scared, just like the character in the middle of the dessert that I mentioned. I will never paint 5000 pictures by myself again. In the midst of a contingency to defeat, triumph, surpass, yearn and win, I insist that the container, package or marketing, many times exceed the work.
Nevertheless, the exhibition and the recognition of a work or of an artist is also necessary, before it withers or disappears. It is my corporeal homage to Ulrich Welss, beloved Dad.”
Tomás Welss – Director

Format: Short film
Production: Paraíso Films
Runtime: 11 min
Target Audience: Adults

Team
Script: Tomás Welss.
Direction: Ignacio Hernández.
Animation: Tomás Welss.
Music: Miguel Miranda.

Awards: 

  • Magikal Charm Experimental Video & Film Festival. United States.
  • Calcutta International Cult Film Festival. India.
  • Cult Critic Movie Awards. India.
  • Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival. United States: Best Animation.
  • Redwood Film Festival. 
  • Indie Shorts Awards Buenos Aires. Argentina.
  • Feedback Animation Film & Screenplay Festival, 2020 – Toronto. Canada.
  • Rome International Movie Awards, 2020: Best Animation
     

Selections/ Nominations:

  • 19º Festival Internacional de Cine de Lebu. Chile.
  • 8º International Animation Festival Chilemonos. Chile.
  • 13º Festival de Cine Polo Sur Latinoamericano. Chile.
  • SANFIC 14. Chile.
  • Madrid Arthouse Film Festival. Spain.
  • Anatolia International Film Festival. Turkey.
  • Only The Best Film Awards. United States.
  • T.I.F.A. – Tietê International Film Awards. Brazil.
  • Golden Bridge Istanbul Short Film Festival. Turkey.
  • Indie Short Fest. United States.
  • IndieX Film Fest. United States.
  • Independent Shorts Awards. United States – Finalist
  • Lonely Wolf: London International Film Festival. England.
  • Sydney Indie Short Festival. Australia.
  • LA Sun Film Festival. United States.
  • Cult Movies International Film Festival. United Kingdom.
  • Indapuram International Short Film Festival. India: Semifinalist
  • FullShot Cine Mag Fest. United Kingdom.
  • Austin International Art Festival. United States.
  • 4th New Delhi Film Festival. India.
  • Vienna Indie Short Film Festival. Austria.
  • Cairo Indie Short Festival. Egypt.
  • Berlin Shorts Award. Germany.
  • San Francisco Indie Short Film Festival. United States.
  • Garoa Awards Monthly Short Film Festival of São Paulo. Brazil.
  • Dubai Independent Film Festival. United Arab Emirates.
  • New York International Film Style & Fashion Festival. United States.
  • Hong Kong Indie Film Festival. China.
  • Paris International Short Festival. France.
  • New Year Film Festival. 
  • Flixze Film Festival. United States.
  • Roma Short Film Festival. Italy.
  • Fantastic Indie Festival of Los Angeles. United States.
  • Seoul International Short Film Festival. South Korea

THE BOY AND THE MOUNTAIN
Hernán is a child who likes to daydream, in contrast, he is not doing well in school at all. His father is constantly urging him to improve and advising him to always reach high to succeed in life. Hernán renounces his dream, gradually forgetting it, to devote himself to school. Over time, and having become a successful entrepreneur, Hernán achieves his father’s dream, to reach high, until one day he realizes that he hasn’t really achieved what he has always longed for. So, he will make the crucial decision to fulfill his dream, but fate will play tricks on him. Hernán will have to face a new challenge that will change the meaning of his life.

“Directing this short film was a great experience and quite a challenge. Adapting a book to an 11-minute short film requires a lot of imagination and power of synthesis. It was fundamental not to lose the main concept of the story and to communicate its essence. I also loved the messages that the story has about perseverance, effort, respect for family and education. At crucial moments in our lives, these lessons help and support us to overcome these complex moments. Making a 3D short film is complex. Despite this, the team managed to coordinate and achieve an excellent result in a relatively tight schedule.”
Santiago Aguilera – Director

Format: 3D Animation
Production: POSTON ANIMATION STUDIO
Runtime: 11 min, 23 seg
Objective audience: Family

Team
Original Idea: Hernán Leal.
Script: Pablo Aguirre, Santiago Aguilera, Kylie Trupp, Gabriel Monreal, Paulette Lecaros y Aarón Navia Campos.
Direction: Santiago Aguilera y Gabriel Monreal.
Animation director: Sebastián Pagueguy.
Music: Miranda y Tobar.

Awards and Recognitions 
“The Boy and the Mountain” is currently part of 218 selections and has received 70 awards.

Awards (Most relevant)

  • WILDsound Writing and Short Film Festival. Canada: “Best Animated Character”.
  • Social Film Festival. United States: “Best Family Kids” y “Best Short Animation.”
  • Two Roads International Film Festival. United States: “Best Animation Short Film.” 
  • Night Of The Short Film. Belgium: “Best Animation Short.”
  • NYAFA. United States: “Best Animation 3D Film.”
  • Betina Film festival. Croatia: “Best Short Animated.”

Selections (Most relevant)

  • Cartoon Club International Panorama. Italy.
  • 4th Chaniartoon. Greece.
  • PSIAF. United States.      
  • Los Angeles Animation Festival. United States.      
  • Athens ANIMFEST. Greece.
  • Toronto Independent Animation Festival. Canada.  
  • AniMate Australia Animation Film Festival. Australia.
  • Bengaluru International Short Film Festival. India. 
  • Kadoma International Film Festival 2020. Japan.
  • FILMETS Badalona Film Festival. Spain.

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