Between ghosts and art: Mexican stop motion shines with “Soy Frankelda”

After several announcements and a long wait, last Thursday, October 23, it finally arrived in movie theaters. I’m Frankeldathe first Mexican film completely made with the technique of stop motion animation.

The film, directed by the brothers Arturo and Roy Ambrizmarks a before and after in national animation, by combining a fantastic narrative with artisanal manufacturing that moves away from the Hollywood model.

I’m Frankelda follow the story of Franciscaa young writer from the 19th century who, repressed by the sexist context of her time, dies without having published her stories. Turned into a ghost, she reappears as Frankeldaa narrator who uses nightmares to give voice to the stories she could never tell in life. Inspired by the figure of Mary Shelleyauthor of Frankensteinthe protagonist represents the creative power of women silenced by their environment.

The plot combines elements of Gothic literature with references to the mexican folklorecreating a unique visual and thematic universe. Settings such as cemeteries, old mansions and fantastic creatures were created manually, giving the film a tangible texture that distinguishes stop motion from digital animation.

The project is the work of the studio Ghost Cinemafounded by the Ambriz brothers, who worked for more than a decade to bring the story to the big screen. The production required more than 140 puppets and 50 scenes built from scratch, all made by Mexican artists and technicians.

Filming spanned four years and faced multiple economic and logistical challenges. Even so, the team opted to maintain an artisanal seal, with lighting, costumes and design inspired by 19th century Mexican aesthetics.

Their objective, the directors say, was to create an animation with its own identitycapable of competing with large international studios without losing its local essence.

The multi-award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro He was a key figure in bringing the project to fruition. In addition to providing creative advice to the filmmakers, the director of Pan’s Labyrinth y Pinocchio helped manage some of the film’s distribution.

Del Toro, known for his support of emerging Mexican talent, shared a message on social networks that quickly went viral: “So go ahead, don’t be HDSPM… go see it”.

Their support was essential to attract the attention of critics and the public. The film was recognized at festivals such as Annecy (Francia) y Animation Is Film (Los Angeles) for its visual originality and deeply Mexican narrative.

Con I’m FrankeldaMexican cinema shows that innovation can also come from tradition. The Ambriz brothers have blazed a trail for future generations of animators seeking to tell local stories with universal techniques.

The film not only honors the imagination, but also the creative resistance in an industry dominated by big studios. In Del Toro’s words, I’m Frankelda “It is proof that Mexican animation can face the world without losing the soul that makes it unique.”