A Beautiful Stop-Motion Triumph from Mexico
If you love stop-motion animation, dark fairy tales, or just wildly creative films, then I Am Frankelda is a must-watch. Directed by the Ambriz brothers (Arturo and Roy) and produced by their studio, Cinema Fantasma, this movie is Mexico’s first-ever stop-motion feature film—and it’s a big deal. With Guillermo del Toro’s support, the film blends fantasy, horror, and music into something truly special
I Am Frankelda follows Francisca Imelda, a young woman in 19th-century Mexico who loves writing horror stories. But nobody takes her seriously—her family and publishers want her to write “normal” things, like romance. So, she changes her name to Frankelda and keeps writing, refusing to give up on her dreams.
Meanwhile, in a nightmare world called Topus Torrentus, a prince named Herneval is struggling to save his kingdom. His parents, the rulers of this spooky land, are dying, and their world is falling apart because their royal nightmare-writer, a giant green spider named Procustes, hasn’t created a good nightmare in years. Herneval discovers Frankelda’s stories and realizes she could be the one to save his world. But Procustes isn’t happy about being replaced—and he’ll do anything to stop her.
The film jumps between the real world and the nightmare realm, showing how Frankelda’s imagination literally shapes this other dimension. The creatures are wild—think owl-boy princes, two-headed griffins, and skeleton coyotes. It’s like stepping into a dark, twisted storybook.
Arturo and Roy Ambriz are Mexican filmmakers who’ve been working in animation for years. Before I Am Frankelda, they made Frankelda’s Book of Spooks, a miniseries on HBO Max. That series introduced the world to Frankelda, a writer whose scary stories come to life. Now, with this movie, they’ve expanded that world into a full-length adventure.
The brothers are known for their detailed puppets and creepy-but-beautiful visuals. Their style is a mix of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and Guillermo del Toro’s dark fairy tales. If you like those kinds of stories, you’ll probably love this.
I Am Frankelda is a bold, beautiful film that proves stop-motion animation is still full of surprises. It’s creepy, funny, and heartfelt—a story about creativity, fighting for your dreams, and the power of storytelling. If you’re a fan of Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or just weird, wonderful animation, you should definitely check it out.
