Arturo and Roy Ambriz, the visionary brothers behind the independent Mexico City-based studio Cinema Fantasma, are the minds behind I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda). Lovingly handcrafted, the film recently debuted on Netflix as a landmark achievement—marking Mexico’s first-ever independently made, feature-length stop-motion animated production.
Their journey from a small upstart studio to global streaming directors is deeply intertwined with the support of Academy Award-winner Guillermo del Toro, who has long championed stop-motion as a “sacred space.”
The Mentorship of Guillermo del Toro
Del Toro’s relationship with the Ambriz brothers isn’t just a casual endorsement; he has been an active, hands-on mentor who fundamentally reshaped their lives and careers.
- The Early Believer: Del Toro first discovered the brothers nearly a decade ago when he donated to a Kickstarter campaign for their 2016 short film, Revoltoso. For the young filmmakers, having the director of Pan’s Labyrinth validate their work was the ultimate catalyst to officially launch Cinema Fantasma.
- Refining the Narrative: When the brothers were adapting their hit Cartoon Network/HBO Max Latin America series, Frankelda’s Book of Spooks, into a feature-length prequel film, the initial cut ran a bit long for general audiences. Del Toro stepped in to help them edit, teaching them how to trim pacing so the emotional core of the characters could shine.
- Daily Masterclasses: During the final stages of production, Del Toro held daily video chats with the brothers. He reviewed shots, spoke directly with the animators, and taught them intricate camera movements and how to build story within a single frame.
- The Industry Champion: Beyond creative input, Del Toro acted as their industry guardian angel. When the brothers finished the film, they were saddled with immense debt and unsure how to navigate distribution. Del Toro used his immense industry leverage to secure theatrical distribution in Mexico and successfully pitched the film to Netflix for its global release.
“Guillermo has helped us with a lot of stuff, not only technical, but also the moral aspects… He taught us that the most important thing in a film is the emotional rights of the characters… But the most important thing about Guillermo is that we are learning how to be good human beings because he shares a lot.”
— Roy Ambriz
What is I Am Frankelda About?
Set in 19th-century Mexico, the film serves as a gothic, musical prequel to their original series. It follows Francisca Imelda, a young, gifted horror writer whose dark tales are constantly dismissed by her conservative grandmother and a deeply patriarchal society.
Desperate to be heard, she writes under the pseudonym “Frankelda” and catches the attention of Prince Herneval, a melancholy spirit from Topus Terrenus—a parallel nightmare realm sustained entirely by human fear. When a sinister, power-hungry spider monster named Procustes plots to steal Frankelda’s stories and stage a royal coup, Frankelda and Herneval must team up to save both the human and nightmare realms.
| Element | Direct Inspiration & Aesthetic |
| Gothic Tone | The literary depth of Mary Shelley mixed with classic visual artists like Gustave Doré. |
| Character Design | Whimsical, textured puppet designs heavily influenced by surrealist painters Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo, as well as Mexican “Tecolote” owls. |
| The Royal Wardrobe | Vibrant, golden mosaics inspired by the distinct artwork of Gustav Klimt. |
| The Texture | Intentionally imperfect, tactile stop-motion that embraces the fingerprints of human creators as a deliberate rebellion against homogenized digital and AI aesthetics. |
A Handcrafted Family Affair
The production of I Am Frankelda was an monumental feat of passion. It served as the very first feature film for over 100 people on the crew. Operating on a tight budget with 20 busy animation units, puppets had to be constantly rushed from one station to another.
To bring the film to life, the Ambriz brothers leaned heavily on their family circle: Arturo’s wife, Irene Melis, served as the cinematographer; Roy’s wife, Ana Coronilla, took on art direction; their father stepped in as the project manager; and their late aunt, Lourdez Ambriz, lent her operatic voice to the film’s musical numbers.
Ultimately, I Am Frankelda mirrors the exact real-life struggles of its creators. It is a stunning, deeply sincere piece of art about the vulnerability of creation, the battle against self-doubt, and the triumph of the human imagination.
I Am Frankelda Official Trailer
This trailer provides a glimpse into the striking, handcrafted visual style and the musical, dark fantasy atmosphere that the Ambriz brothers brought to life for this historic Mexican stop-motion film.
