Arturo and Roy Ambriz’s Annie Award-nominated film follows an ignored 19th-century writer who must confront the monsters she created in her subconscious to restore the balance between fiction and reality; streams June 12.
Netflix has just released a trailer and new images for directors Arturo and Roy Ambriz’s I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda), Mexico’s first stop-motion feature, streaming worldwide on June 12.
In the film, 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. When she is thrust into her subconscious, the 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 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.
Regarding the film, the Ambriz brothers shared, “As brothers, we grew up inventing worlds together, drawing, playing, imagining. Over time we understood that fictional characters were not only companions but guides. Sometimes they felt closer than the people around us. They provided us courage, wisdom, and solace. We believe fiction is not an escape from reality but a way of understanding it. A way of converting truth into palatable chunks. I Am Frankelda comes from a lifelong love of storytelling.
At the heart of the film is the relationship between Frankelda and Herneval: creator and creation, voice and echo. We are drawn to the mystery of ideas. We do not know if we invent them or if they find us. We only know that when they arrive, they ask to be brought into the world.
This film is a dream for us. It holds everything we have loved since childhood: monsters, drama, music, color, intensity, culture and worldbuilding. We are moved by characters who feel deeply, who struggle, who transform. Frankelda is about a creator who insists on being heard, even when everything around her says no.”
The film’s cast includes Mireya Mendoza, Arturo Mercado Jr., and Luis Leonardo Suarez. Developed by the Ambriz brothers and their Mexico City-based studio Cinema Fantasma, the film was produced under the guidance of Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro, who served as a creative guide on the project. “Frankelda is a landmark in Mexican Stop-Motion animation and a true triumph of vision, tenacity and love for the craft,” said del Toro.
The Ambriz brothers serve as directors, writers, and producers. Production design is by Ana Coronilla and Bruce Zick; animation direction is by Beto Petiches; directors of photography are Irene Melis and Fernanda G. Manzur; and the original score is by Kevin Smithers.
The brothers previously created and directed the five-episode stop-motion animated TV series Frankelda’s Book of Spooks for HBO Max Latin America, that launched in 2021. The musical kids’ series, about an enthusiastic ‘ghost writer' and her book of scary stories, brings a modern twist to classic horror. It’s produced by Cinema Fantasma with Dark Frame and features an original score by Kevin Smithers.
Source: Netflix
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
