María Cristina Pérez’s “Once in a Body” Shines at Annecy, Highlighting Colombia’s Emerging Animation Scene

Colombian animator María Cristina Pérez presented her experimental 10-minute 2-D short “Once in a Body” (“Una vez en un Cuerpo”) in the Perspectives sidebar of the Annecy International Animation Festival, which ran from June 21-27, 2026. The film vied for the Audience Award and was produced by Pez Dorado Animaciones in co-production with the U.S. studio Cartuna.

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Colombia’s animation sector, described by Pérez as “young but maturing at a remarkable pace,” has expanded through new academic programs and the consolidation of production houses. Nevertheless, financing remains limited; existing national funding schemes cover part of the cost but often fall short of the higher time and personnel demands of animation compared with live-action filmmaking.

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María Cristina Pérez, a rising talent whose portfolio now includes four short films, directed “Once in a Body.” The short was animated using oil on paper in a traditional 2-D workflow. Production support came from Pez Dorado Animaciones (Colombia) and Cartuna (United States). Pérez is simultaneously developing her first feature, “My Dad the Truck,” slated for a 2028 premiere.

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• Runtime: 10 minutes

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• Festival dates: June 21-27, 2026

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• Position in Pérez’s oeuvre: fourth short film

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• Funding landscape: multiple Colombian audiovisual grants, yet insufficient for full animation budgets

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Pérez emphasized that the narrative—centering on a heavy-set woman reconciling with her sister after a shared childhood incident—is entirely fictional, though it weaves personal and second-hand anecdotes. She linked the film’s visual metaphor of a mutable body to the tension between mind and physical experience. Regarding Annecy, Pérez described the event as “incredibly rewarding” and a vital platform for reconnecting with the Latin American animation community and global peers. She also noted that, despite expanding academic and production infrastructure, the industry’s financing gaps force creators to compromise artistic choices or abandon projects.

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Industry observers, echoed by Pérez, argue that current Colombian funding mechanisms do not match the extended production timelines and specialized team sizes required for animation. The disparity between live-action and animation budgets can lead to reduced creative scope or incomplete works, highlighting a systemic obstacle to the sector’s full potential.

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• “The story portrayed in the short film, about the protagonist as a child and her sister as a teen, is entirely fictional,” — María Cristina Pérez, Director

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• “I kept reflecting on how the body affects us but is also shaped by everything we experience, almost as if it had a life and will of its own that we must learn to accept.” — María Cristina Pérez, Director’s Statement

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• “My experience at Annecy is always incredibly rewarding. It’s also an invaluable opportunity to reconnect with the Latin American animation community, as well as colleagues from the global animation industry.” — María Cristina Pérez, Interview

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• “ “We are also seeing a much broader range of academic programs dedicated to animation, as well as the consolidation of more production companies across the country.” — María Cristina Pérez, Interview

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• “Unlike live-action filmmaking, animation requires considerably more time and a larger, more specialized team. As a result, filmmakers are often forced to compromise on creative decisions or, in some cases, are unable to complete their projects.” — María Cristina Pérez, Interview

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Pérez’s upcoming feature “My Dad the Truck” will explore a fractured father-daughter relationship through a road-trip narrative, aiming for a 2028 release. Continued participation in festivals like Annecy is expected to bolster Colombia’s visibility on the global animation stage while prompting dialogue on expanding financial support for animated productions.

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