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Netflix Acquires Landmark Mexican Stop-Motion Film for 2026

2/20/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Netflix acquired I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda), Mexico's first stop-motion feature, for release in 2026.
Directed by Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz, the film follows Frankelda, a 19th-century Mexican writer whose dark tales go ignored.
The Ambriz brothers developed the film at Cinema Fantasma, earning a nomination for Best Independent Feature at 53rd Annie Awards on February 21, and Guillermo del Toro praised it as a landmark in Mexican animation.

History

Historical Context

The success of the 2013 film "The Book of Life," directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez, marked a resurgence in Mexican animation, grossing over $100 million globally. This revival echoes the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s, when films like "María Candelaria" gained international acclaim, paving the way for contemporary projects that celebrate Mexico's rich cultural narratives.

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Story summary

Netflix acquired I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda), Mexico's first stop-motion feature, for release in 2026.
Directed by Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz, the film follows Frankelda, a 19th-century Mexican writer whose dark tales go ignored.
The Ambriz brothers developed the film at Cinema Fantasma, earning a nomination for Best Independent Feature at 53rd Annie Awards on February 21, and Guillermo del Toro praised it as a landmark in Mexican animation.

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