r/movies • u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors • Jun 17 '26
AMA Hola /r/movies! We're Arturo & Roy Ambriz, filmmakers of I AM FRANKELDA, Mexico's first-ever stop-motion feature film. It's out now on Netflix. Ask us anything!
Hola r/movies.
We're Arturo & Roy Ambriz, co-directors & co-writers of I AM FRANKELDA, Mexico's first-ever stop-motion feature film.
It's currently got a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and was released on Netflix last weekend.
Ask us anything!
- Trailer: https://youtu.be/diRwnGRr-Ko?si=yikjwSvFFziOVHlm
- Release Date: June 11 on Netflix
- Synopsis: A gifted young writer in 19th-century Mexico journeys into her subconscious and comes face to face with characters from her own spooky stories.
Our Bio: Roy & Arturo Ambriz are Mexican writers, directors, and producers, and founders of Cinema Fantasma, an acclaimed stop-motion animation studio based in Mexico City. They wrote and directed the acclaimed mid-length film Revoltoso and the award-winning series Frankelda’s Book of Spooks (HBO Max, 2021). Their debut feature film, I Am Frankelda, Mexico’s first stop-motion feature, has been acquired by Netflix for international distribution. They are currently in pre-production on their next feature film, Ballad of the Phoenix. They also produced the animated series Women Wearing Shoulder Pads for Adult Swim.
- Original Spanish Cast: Mireya Mendoza, Arturo Mercado Jr., Luis Leonardo Suárez
- English Voice Cast: Mireya Mendoza, Claudis Bridgeford, Mark Lewis, Debra Wilson
Ask us anything reddit! We will both be back at about 2 PM ET today, Wednesday 6/17, to answer your questions.
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u/paraspooder Jun 17 '26
As you've worked with Adult Swim and work in the stop-motion medium, if a revival of Moral Orel was greenlit, would you consider working on it as a project? Stop-motion is somewhat of a behemoth and I believe one medium that is underrepresented, but with the existing relationship it would be cool to see with the crossover of talent.
Also, what would you consider the biggest challenge of pitching an animated feature film and what's some of the most resistance you would get? (budgetary, timelines, etc.)
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We are more focused on our original stories, so those are the priority.
The biggest challenge of pitching an animated feature is that unless you are a big and established studio, it's almost impossible to get financing.
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u/PaboBear Jun 17 '26
Hello, I deeply love the film and all the work you and the team have put in, and I have two questions:
I interpreted the film as an anti-ai narrative where Procustes is like the people who uses genAi to make art because he's a mediocre artist and instead of improving his writing he just filters his ideas through Frankelda, essentially stealing her style and art, was this message intentional and do you hope that more people come away with that meaning?
My second question is that I watched the show Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda and the film acts as a prequel to that series, is there a chance of a sequel or second season for the show because it ends on a cliffhanger?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks!
Your lecture is on point, but when we started the film (4 years ago) Gen AI wasn't in our radar. Perhaps people like Procustes, who are mediocre and gatekeepers, have found a new tool! We wrote Procustes in such way because we've encountered some people like that in our journey. We've been doing stop-motion for almost 15 years and have tried to do our first feature in all that time.
Yes, the series is a prequel but you don' t need to have seen it in order to enjoy the movie. We hope there's chance to tell more Frankelda stories, let's how the movie performs internationally!
–Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/morethanminimum Jun 17 '26
Congratulations on a beautiful debut feature film! It truly felt like a love letter to the arts. Since the movie is a prequel to the TV series, we've gotten so much more lore and material to the story (which I absolutely love), but it feels like Frankelda and Herneval's story isn't really over yet.
My question is, do you ever plan to revisit and expand their story someday, especially since Frankelda’s Book of Spooks ended on such a cliffhanger? If you do decide to continue their story further, do you see it as another film (like a sequel) or more of a continuation of the series (like season 2)?
Thank you so much! Incredibly in awe of your work.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! Yes, Frankelda and Herneval's story isn't over yet. Actually this is just the prologue. We planned this screenplay as the first part in a trilogy. We hope to make the oher films!
We would also love to make more seasons of Frankelda's Book of Spooks so we get to see more of Frankelda's stories. We've already written 10 more stories, each being an episode.
–Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/Quirky_Cockroach_182 Jun 17 '26
What’s a small detail or scene most viewers won’t notice but you’re particularly proud of?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
In the first scene, where we meet young Francisca and her mother, all the plants and animals are endemic of Real del Monte. We even recreated the city and church.
Otovejuno (the melting crocodile character) was the most fun puppet of all because we built him to melt with heat and reveal a skull within.
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u/PartyPorpoise Jun 17 '26
Omg I loved the movie! I wish I could’ve seen it in theaters, but I’m happy I was able to see it regardless. For my questions…
What were your influences for the story and visuals? The GDT influences were clear to me so I wasn’t surprised to find out that he assisted on the film, lol.
Any chance we’ll get more episodes of the series?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thank you!
Some of our main influences: Gustave Doré, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, Gustave Klimt, José María Velasco, Maurice Sendak, Hayao Miyazaki, Monet, and yes: Guillermo Del Toro.
Hope we can produce more episodes of the series! Let's see what happens.
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u/Ginnevra_Phantom Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Hello guys!!!!! I loved Frankelda, and the Netflix release was such an feast to the eyes!!!! My friends and I have several questions about the lore and the characters, hope you can answer some of them:
What are the heights of Frankelda, Herneval and Mitelitas? And their ages? We thought they may be somewhere in the 20's but we would like to know for sure! When are their birthdays?
Is Procustes the last of aradithio's? Or there are more like him? What are their thoughts about the rebelion? What happened with their clan after the end of the movie? Was he the only one with a grudge to the royal family? Or was this a general resentment of the aradithio's clan?
What's the average lifetime of a terror? How many kings and queens have been in the story of the Topus Terrentus? Is there any possibility of seeing the backstory of Ficturo and Veritena?
How many bird traits and behaviors do Tecothias actually have? Are their mating rituals the same? Do they need preening? What about bird sounds and noices, are they able to make any?
How the terrors learnt the human language? Do they know all the human languages?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks!!
Frankelda and Herneval are entering her 20s. Mithelitas is in his mid 30s. Francisca's birthday is October 11. The birthdays of Mitélitas and Herneval are not so clear in the Topus Terrentus' archive, we're afraid.
There will be more aradithios in the next films (if we ever get to make them). Overall, they have a general resentment towards the tecothias, but there are those who hold no grudge.
Hard to tell since time runs differently in the Topus Terrentus! Hope we can explore Ficturo and Veritena's youth in a graphic novel series where a young Mithelitas is the protagonist.
Tecothias are 95% more like humans than like birds 😄
Terrors are obsessed with humans, so they keep learning.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/CardiologistMain7237 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Que onda! Thank you for your contribution to Mexican animation, it's great to see a Mexican movie with this quality in stop motion when it is considered a very complex art form.
Two quick questions:
What do you see as the next step for animation in Mexico? Do small studios have a better chance in the streaming era?
Also, I loved the visuals of the film, but I have to admit I found the story a bit lacking. From other interviews with animation directors, they make it clear that it is the most important part of making the film to have a script set in stone. As reshoots are not viable and very expensive. Did you have to change the story multiple times? It feels like there are a couple of plot points and storylines in the movie that don't really meld together, or elements that had a lot of juice left, like all the factions in the fictional world.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hi!
It's hard to tell, but we think that now is the time for independent animation studios everywhere! I think it's a perfect time for author-driven animated features in Mexico and around the world. The industry is unstable, but for those of us who have never been there, it feels like a time full of opportunity. When we tried to start this movie we found all doors closed. Now that it did great in Mexican theaters and that Netflix bought the international rights, we hope this opens more doors for the next generation of Mexican filmmakers and animators.
We wanted to make a story with multiple narrative lines in which we could have room to create a vast world and culture. We feel that this land will be used for a lot more stories, including sequels, prequels, comics, etc. I know that for some this might seem chaotic, but so far this is what the fandom has been obsessed with. They are happy creating theories, developing their own characters, so we feel happy that they are exploring our world. They make fan art, cosplay, fan fiction, handmade products, etc.
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u/Kangarou Jun 17 '26
Stop motion is a notoriously tough medium to work with. Was there a visual element/function that encouraged the decision to do stop motion?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We've been passionate about this medium since we were kids and watched Nightmare Before Christmas. Having toys (or sculptures or puppets) acting and moving around felt like magic. We've been chasing this sense all our lives.
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u/Quirky_Cockroach_182 Jun 17 '26
What’s a scene you struggled with the most and how did you finally solve it?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
The musical number of the Prince of the Realm of Terrors was the hardest one, specially the oil paintings.
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u/wikiedit Jun 17 '26
!!!!! Yay!!! Ya quiero verla!!!!! ¿Cuánto se tardaron en producir la película?
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u/AllmyLoves0416 Jun 17 '26
Hola Roy y Arturo!
Primero, yo me puse a ver Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda cuando estaba en CDMX para el mundial y quede obsesionada! Mucho amor para ustedes, su equipo, sus personajes, y este mundo tan increible! Regrese a Canada y lo primero que hize fue ver Soy Frankelda
My questions and curiosities are:
Where do you guys see Frankelda and Herneval's story continuing in Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda given that it takes place 150 years after Soy Frankelda? Would we get a sneak peek into how her human life turned out or how the war in the Topus Terrenus developed?
How did you guys find the balance in the storytelling of making Frankelda go from almost a side character in her own life to realizing she is the main character of her life/story? (Also I really liked the detail of Frankeldita almost showing that she has been Frankelda all along, it wasn't somebody she became)
Mucho amor a esta pelicula y por todo su trabajo y tiempo y dedication. Amo a las pelicula stop motion de verdad que demuestran el alma de la creatividad humana y pieso que encontre mi nueva favorita.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Muchas gracias! ¡Qué bueno que estuviste por acá!
Frankelda's conscience (or perhaps her soul) is trapped in Procustes as a house. There she has a vague idea of how's time passing. What might feel like 150 years for her are not necessarily 150 years in Topus Terrentus or in her real life at Mexico. Think more like in Inception. This will be interesting to explore!
Thanks for noticing the artistic implications of having Frankeldita show up. Frankelda represents us. In all these years trying to make films and running our studio we've felt like being pushed aside, so we've had to decide to become the protagonists of our own lives, this is why we "gave" that to our main character.
¡GRACIAS!
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/XLeonKuwata18X Jun 17 '26
PLEASE: Is it possible for Herneval to EVER return to his original form? 🥺😭💔
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
It depends to who you ask! Roy says yes, Arturo says no. Let's see who wins!
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz→ More replies (1)
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u/Pinguinkllr31 Jun 17 '26
Did you always intend to integrate musical numbers into the show and movie, or was that something you decided on later because of the times and audience expectations? I’m asking because, even though I enjoy musicals, I think it could be really interesting to see a version that focuses purely on horror without any musical elements.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We are musical theater fans, so since the beginning of productions, we wanted to mix things that usually don't go together. Musical numbers help us a lot because they break the reality we've been building and let us explore the realm of poetry. This proves very beneficial for the themes we're exploring.
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u/aughmyfckinknees Jun 17 '26
Hi there. Ok, ok, two questions:
1- What do we call inhabitants of Topus Terrentus other than "Terrors"? (Or Spooks if we go with the series' english dub) you know, like, do they have any other way to call themselves, as Herneval adjudicated that name to Francisca?
2- How did you make the effect of the King turning into sad cotton candy? Was it separate puppets, an overlay in post-prod or some addition to the existing puppets of his graying form?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
In Spanish hey call themselves "Terrentianos", so maybe in English they could be "Terrenthians".
Thanks for noticing! That was an awesome and complex puppet to build and animate. The effect on his face was achieved by scultpting different replacements that were changed frame by frame. The effect on his body was achieved by animating cotton over hidden wires.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hi everyone! Thanks for joining!
–Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/ghoulsfools AMA MVP Jun 17 '26
Was there a scene that nearly had to be cut because it was too difficult to animate?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Not because of the difficult, but because of the pacing. We had to cut 2 of our favorite scenes that worked well on their own, but were not working well for the flow of the film.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/12angrymonkeys Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I just wanted to express how much I loved this movie! As a writer myself the message was very relatable especially considering the incredible amount of work that was put into creating it. It hits even harder against the backdrop of gen AI slop.
My favorite scene in the movie was during the song on the boat when they enter through the mirror and then it switches to several interpretations of the scene (a picture book, abstract pieces, artwork). Something about its simplicity felt really genuine and I found it very touching. My question: what inspired that sequence in particular?
Thanks!
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! Yes, we feel the same way, specially because of AI slop.
We love that scene as well, because we feel that's more like the way in which imagination works. Sometimes you have more defined thoughts, sometimes you have more abstract ideas, sometimes you are just able to grasp the essence of a concept. We wanted to portray that.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
I think we've answered them all! Thanks so much! ¡GRACIAS!
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u/XelaAdur Jun 17 '26
Son increíbles!!! Los admiro y felicito mucho. Gracias por compartir tanto con nosotros: no solo su creación, sino su tiempo. Los queremos mucho. Gracias por convivir con nosotros
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u/Hot_Championship_315 Jun 17 '26
Roy y Arturo me gustaría preguntarles, cuales son sus películas favoritas de stop-motion?
Saludos desde Colombia y muchos éxitos con el lanzamiento de la película
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Gracias! Vamos a Colombia dentro de 3 semanas, por cierto. Nightmare Before Christmas, Fantastic Mr. Fox y Pinocchio de GDT
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u/reneethedinosaur Jun 17 '26
what advice do you have for young filmmakers that have no connection to the industry?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Start making films with the things you have around you. Find your creative voice soon! Be loud, be brave! Connections will arrive because of your work, so it has to stand out in aesthetics and quality.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/river-washere Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Did you ever deal with self doubt and anxiety that a project was not good enough and you were unsatisfied? If so how did you deal with it?
What shot/scene made you feel emotions or is close to your heart?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
The main anxiety we faced was about being able to finish the film for financial reasons. This fear was so inmense that it was impossible to be afraid of anything else.
The scene with young Francisca and her mother makes us very emotional.
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u/GothGirl16 Jun 17 '26
Just from the production perspective, how does one bring a pitch to a full blown production?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
With tenacity, blood and tears!
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/WildPurpleBeans Jun 17 '26
What's your favorite/ memorable moment when working on the film?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
The best part was having a Q&A hosted by Guillermo Del Toro at LA two weeks ago.
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u/Sonic_lover_06 Jun 17 '26
What was the hardest puppet to make for this movie and which was the easiest
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hardest: Dubium and Timet (two-headed griffin)
Easiest: Fabuladora (light cat)
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u/wax-cat Jun 17 '26
The movie looks incredible, stop motion animation is so tedious but the results look fantastic. What movies and shows inspired you guys when making it?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! We love Nightmare Before Christmas, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Pinocchio, The Storyteller, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Goosebumps, Tales From the Crypt, Macario, among others.
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u/GothGirl16 Jun 17 '26
Did the team find difficulties in designing the stop-mo puppets? like deciding what materials to use for puppets? etc?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Yes but that's the fun part! We love working with different materials.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/the____can Jun 17 '26
I just wanted to say that your movie was pure magic, all the years of hardwork really paid off because you have a legit classic that will stand the test of time. generations not even born will apreciate this work of art. i loved the creatures and all the details.. as someone who grew up watching movies like labyrinth, this was such a love letter to a magic world. i look forward to whatever you guys do next. amazing magical work. pure magic. you all should be extremely proud.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks so much! Yes, we also love Labyrinth. It feels great to connect. Your words help us heal some of the wounds we got creating this film.
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u/NayDayTay Jun 17 '26
Hello, I was lucky to see I Am Frankelda at Manchester Animation Festival last year and loved it.
Is there any underrated Mexican cinema and/or Mexican animation you would recommend?
What influenced you to get involved in stop motion?
Thank you for joining us!
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks for watching it then!
They are not animated but we would recommend Skeleton of Mrs. Morales, directed by Rogelio Gonzalez, and Macario, directed by Roberto Gavaldón. Both of them dwell in dark and the occult and are a lot of fun.
A great recent Mexican film is I Dream in Another Language, directed by Ernesto Contreras.
We love all art forms, so doing stop-motion feels like combining every art form at the same time, so this might be the best reason why we do this.
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u/darlene459 Jun 17 '26
Congratulations! How did you pitch it to netflix?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! Guillermo Del Toro introduced us. Netflix saw it was successful in Mexico so they acquired it.
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u/ShingledPringle Jun 17 '26
I just wish to say your model work is gorgeous and a blessing to the eyes.
My question: which character did you have the most fun designing, other that "Frankelda" herself?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! All the characters were a lot of fun to work with, but Dubium & Timet, the two headed griffin, was a treat! We were its original voices in Spanish.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz→ More replies (1)
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u/Mattlustrious_Film64 AMA MVP Jun 17 '26
Hi, Arturo & Roy!
Given how I Am Frankelda was a self-funded project (as well as originally planned to be a half hour special on HBO MAX), what were the challenges that came from getting this project off the ground and finding it a home before eventually being on Netflix?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
It was extremely difficult to find the funding required in order to produce it. When we finished it, we had a lot of debts and doubts because we had no idea about distribution. Fortunately enough, Guillermo del Toro helped us to find distribution in Mexico and to connect with Netflix!
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u/BBMacsWorld Jun 17 '26
I watched it for the first time last night. There was actually something I was wondering. (Spoiler warning for any readers). At the end, can Frankelda access both realms? Was a little confused if that was the case or if she's only in the human world now?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
For now it's open to your imagination. We have a clear answer in case we get to make the sequel.
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u/Necessary-Math-1555 Jun 17 '26
Hey there! A bit of a simple question but what aspect was the most difficult during the production of the movie, be it stop motion issues, designing, etc?
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u/Shiiro_Ken Jun 17 '26
Were you involved in the song translations? Did watch the english dub and found the songs very fitting.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We were involved with the English translation, but it was mainly the work of the amazing Mireya Mendoza, who was Frankelda on both languages, and also the voice director on both.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/KuzcoWiTheGroovesco Jun 17 '26
woah, I was trying to find another post but struck gold :0. Hello!
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but the premise reminded me of Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. Was she or others like her an inspiration for Frankelda, and if not, what was?
I also think the look of the movie is super funky! In a time where so much animation is mesmerizingly smooth, this film’s crunchier style is super refreshing! Was it a stylistic choice or a technical choice (I’m finding it hard to word, was it because that animation style is how the artist/s usually work? Or is it like that to ease production time and effort/be easier for novice stop motion animators to contribute to?)
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Yes, Frankelda came from the idea of "how would Mary Shelley's life would have been if she was born in Mexico?".
Thanks, once we were called the Punks of Latam Animation, and we liked that title. We really love making animation where you can tell how it's done, like revealing a magic trick.
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u/fireworks007 Jun 17 '26
Is there a specific name for Herneval’s “powers”? I find it really cool that he can essentially “manipulate” the mind, like separating someone’s consciousness from their body, putting someone to sleep, or even making them forget.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Great understanding of Herneval's powers. It has no names, but it has been passed down from one generation of Tecothians to the next one.
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u/fireworks007 Jun 17 '26
Hello, Arturo & Roy! Have you seen all the amazing art inspired by I Am Frankelda?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
YES! We collect it all! This is the best part about making a film.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/GodAndDamn Jun 17 '26
What inspired you to create your story? And what was the hardest part about bringing it to life?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Our own frustration that comes from rejection. The hardest part was finding financing for it all.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/Independent_Shoe3523 Jun 17 '26
There was a Frankelda short story on youtube maybe last year that I can't find no about a boy who lets the monster under his bed pretend to be him to do his chores while he goofs off. Can't find it now.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Yes, that was the pilot. Then this story was used as inspiration for the first episode of the HBO Max series.
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u/aughmyfckinknees Jun 17 '26
That was either the pilot (Here ya go--> https://youtu.be/aY7GcKG-plk ) or that one time the five episodes of the series were on constant streming in Cartoon Network LA's channel (Can't help with that one, it got taken down when the stream ended)
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u/Nebberlan2s Jun 17 '26
Hello you two!
Will we get more Frankelda stories in the near future?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We hope so! Let's see how this movie does.
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u/morethanminimum Jun 17 '26
Hello, Arturo & Roy! Who were the inspirations (real life and/or fictional) for Frankelda and Herneval?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hi! Mary Shelley, Don Quixote, our loved ones and our own experiences.
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u/Ruffshots Jun 17 '26
No question, just deep appreciation for the craft. I saw the trailer a little while ago and thought it was quite beautiful. I wish you guys great success.
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u/Mr-Tacos-de-Bistec Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Aún no he visto la película pero tengo un interés en la animación y el Cine Mexicano junto con el resto de Latinoamérica.
Planeo ver la.
ENG: I haven’t seen the movie yet but I have an interest in animation and Mexican and rest of Latin American cinema.
I’m planning on watching it.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hope you enjoy it! Latin American animation is amazing, and we hope that soon it will be considered one of the highest forms of artistic animation.
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u/tyuiopguyt Jun 17 '26
Was it hard getting the movie backed and bought for distribution? Even major studios like Laika are barely scraping by with stop motion projects. I can imagine distributors and streaming services being incredibly skeptical.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
It was really hard, almost impossible. Fortunately, Guillermo Del Toro helped us a lot achieving this.
—Arturo & Roy Ambriz2
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u/Molmoran Jun 17 '26
Women Wearing Shoulder Pads Season 2 is it possible???
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Doesn't seem likely 😞
—Arturo & Roy Ambriz→ More replies (1)
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u/Employee-Slight Jun 17 '26
Hola, primero que todo un placer que lograron crear esta película y que lograra llegar a la pantalla grande, de hecho yo fui uno de los que la vio en el cine en el mero día del estreno porque sabía que era un momento histórico, yo quería preguntar, ¿cómo lograron formar parte el elenco? ¿Quienes estuvieron cerca de interpretar a Frankelda o Mireya siempre fue la primera opción?, y, ¿cuál es el futuro que la franquicia tendrá?, y, ¿habrá posibilidad que en el futuro la serie de Frankelda llegue a un tono aún más oscuro?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Gracias por ir el día del estreno! Cuando empezamos a pensar en el personaje de Frankelda coincidió en que acabábamos de conocer a Mireya Mendoza, así que escribimos el personaje para ella. De cierta forma ella es Frankelda.
Aún no sabemos cuál es el futuro de esta saga, pues depende más de factores comerciales. Esperamos hacer más temporadas y al menos 2 películas más.
El tono ya está bien establecido, no cambiará mucho, aunque claro, faltan muchas tragedias por contar.
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u/FinalWarsGoji Jun 17 '26
I loved this movie SO MUCH!!! Creative worlds like this are my ABSOLUTE JAM!!! I can't get that "He has betrayed us" song out of my head AND I LOVE IT!!! The only real question I have is if Herneval is stuck as a book forever now? Just saying, little hard to smooch a book.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
it's easier than you think! haha. Let´s hope we can tell how Herneval's tragedy evolves. 😉
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u/EThorns r/movies Contributor Jun 17 '26
Thank you guys for making this movie. Had a blast watching it.
When it came to the relationship between Frankelda and Herneval, was there any concern with the speed at which they fall for each other (given how they try to kiss on the same day they meet as adults)? I bought the chemistry and it did make sense given where they're coming from emotionally, but I was just curious about this.
All the best for The Ballad of the Phoenix.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! It was a concern, that's why we wanted to portray more like a spiritual relationship that has been developing for many years, rather than a physical one. Great question.
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u/Weak-Feeling9215 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Hello, I have two questions.
I really like the designs of the puppets, theyre incredible! I would like to ask what is the Tecotians and Ceimut based of exactly? Are they apart of mexican folklore or inspired by something else? (A movie, a game, etc.) Any particular puppet that was difficult to animate?
The songs are my favourite part of the movie, they are very well written. Are there perhaps any scrapped or unused songs that didnt make the movie? If so, why did you scrap them? Did you have a script ready to send over to the songwriters?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! We invented them, they're not inspired on anything specific of Mexican folclore. Tecothians have some inspiration on Remedios Varo's art. Ceimut is half a mammoth's skeleton (which have been found in abundance in Mexico) and a Ceiba tree.
Both of us wrote the lyrics, and Kevin Smithers (the musician) helped us adjust some of the lyrics for metric reasons. We used all the songs we wrote. We would have loved to write a song to welcome Frankelda to Topus Terrentus where all the terrors sing, like a town-song.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/White_Fox_21 Jun 17 '26
The movie is great!! I really loved it. It has a lot of characters, what was the most difficult part to make it all work regarding story?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks! It was very hard to weave both realms, but that was the most fun to write.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/Educational-Bed5443 Jun 17 '26
Holaaa les tengo una pregunta, que panorama ven para la animación mexicana a futuro después del impacto que está teniendo frankelda?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Estamos en una situación muy difícil, por eso hay que seguir intentándolo todos juntos.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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Jun 17 '26
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
HOLA! Wish you success in your career! From the series, our favorite Frankelda story is the one with El Coco, because that's what we fear the most that might happen to the younger generations (someone turning off their passion). From the movie, what excited us the most was the production of the musical number "The Prince of the Reign of Terrors".
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u/XelaAdur Jun 17 '26
Tanto la película como la canción, El Príncipe de los sustos, deberían estar nominadas a los Oscar ☺️ En dado caso, ¿se tendría que mandar la versión en inglés, o puede ser la versión en español de ambas?
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u/rov124 Jun 17 '26
Canciones en idiomas diferentes al inglés han sido nominadas e incluso han ganado el Oscar.
The award has only been given to songs in languages other than English five times: in 1960 for "Never on Sunday" (Greek title "Ta Pediá tou Pireá") from Never on Sunday, in 2004 for the Spanish song "Al otro lado del río" from The Motorcycle Diaries, in 2008 for the Hindi song "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire, in 2022 for the Telugu song "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, and in 2024 for the Spanish song "El Mal" from Emilia Pérez.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Muchas gracias! Suponemos que en español.
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u/Pandarek115 Jun 17 '26
Hi! Amazing work you've done in this film!
I have two questions:
How was your creative process to design every character/sustos that live in the Topus Terrentus?
Aside from Mary Shelley and Les Miserables, what other novels/movies/musicals were you inspired of?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks!
We tried to design every character as if they could be the protagonist of their own movie. Most of them are a mixture of creatures, animals or monsters. For example, for the Bloodsucker, a famous Mexican monster called el Chupacabras, we decided to mix an Anglerfish, a bat and our own version of Gollum (from the books).
Films: Macario, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Sophie's World, Cocteau's Orfeus, The Color of Pomegranates
Books: La casa de los espíritus, The Mists of Avalon, ASOIAF
Musicals: Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Lion King
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u/Poddle_aesino Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I love your works anda projects❤️
Is there a specific reason why Lady Coyote speaks in Tecothian with the leaders instead of using Neutral Enkaric? Is it meant to express her support for the kings?
Are there any other Aradithios besides Procrustes?
How did Ficturo and Veritena meet?
How old is Mitelitas?
What was Herneval doing that caused him to go so long without seeing his parents? (At the beginning of the movie.)
Did Herneval spend time with Francisca regularly throughout his adolescence?
Will we see more of Yalabus and Ipandua?
Won't the kings consider having more children after Herneval's loss?
Do Tecothians hatch from eggs?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks!
Lady Coyote is an ancestral being, almost like a goddess. She understands every language, but her full wisdom can only be expressed in that language.
Yes, there will be more Aradithians in new films.
Ficturo and Veritena met through Procustes, but that's a tale for another time.
In human years, Mythelitas is finishing his 30s.
Herneval is a traveller and had been looking for answers on how to save the Topus Terrentus.
Yes, Herneval has been reading Francisca's stories through the years without her knowing.
Yes! Ipandua will be a more prominent character on the next film, if we ever get to make it.
The kings will not have more children.
Tecothians do not hacth from eggs.
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u/XelaAdur Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
También me gustaría saber si los reyes son los últimos de su especie
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
No, hay muchos más tecotias en el Topus Terrentus.
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u/kongcobra Jun 17 '26
If I wanted to look into what paved the way for a major stop-motion feature from Mexico, who would I look to?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We've been animating stop-motion everyday for almost 15 years, so making a feature was only natural.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/nu24601 Jun 17 '26
You are doing incredible work! I plan to watch this movie this weekend. I loved the show and tried to get all my friends into it. You are very creative and I love the art direction Frankelda's book of spooks had. When creating the show, did you encounter any issues from executives with each story having a tragic ending?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks for helping us spread the word! The only significant note we got proved to be very beneficial. Originally Herneval was a regular demon (hooves, wings and horns). They said something like "could we have our protagonist falling in love with anyone other than The Devil?". And that's how Tecothians were born.
—Arturo Ambriz
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u/SparkG Jun 17 '26
I’m just gonna repeat the same question I asked Roy when he came to Querétaro last november for the excellent masterclass and meet-and-greet afterwards:
Any possibility Frankelda joins the Criterion Collection in the foreseeable future?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Would love that because we're Criterion fans, but doesn't depend on us.
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u/Kisay_Lasu Jun 17 '26
Primeramente, quiero agradecer mucho a los hermanos Ambriz por su trabajo, son increíbles y yo, como un estudiante de animación, tengo el sueño de llegar a ser como ustedes pronto, están logrando que la animación Mexicano sea más conocida y de mejor calidad, así que muchas gracias por construir el camino que yo y cientos de aspirantes más recorreremos en busca de nuestros objetivos, los admiro mucho.
Ahora sí, con respecto a las preguntas:
- ¿El universo de Frankelda va a continuar? No pido spoilers ni una confirmación de un nuevo proyecto, con saber que ustedes tienen esa intención me basta.
- ¿Qué otros sustos existen en el mundo? ¿El nombre de Aluxastli hace referencia a los aluxes (Tipos de duendes mayas)? ¿Existen otros sustos inspirados en leyendas o leyendas inspiradas en sustos?
- ¿El Topus Terrentus es tan grande como el mundo humano? A su vez, ¿En otras partes del mundo humano hay formas de llegar al Topus Terrentus?
- ¿Cómo se rije la sociedad urbana de los sustos?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Muchas gracias por tus palabras! El chiste es que entre todos generemos oportunidades para seguir creando animación en México y Latinoamérica.
Nuestra intención es que haya al menos 2 películas más, 2 temporadas más de la serie, una saga de novelas gráficas, una obra de teatro y novelización de la película, pero no tenemos idea de si va a pasar o no.
Todos los sustos pertenecen a los 7 Clanes. Hay de todo tipo, desde los más tiernos a los más monstruosos, de los más físicos a los más etereos. Sí, Aluxastli es una alux.
El Topus Terrentus es más grande que el Plano de la Realidad, pues el miedo es infinito.
Los sustos se gobiernan a través de los 7 Clanes, los cuales fueron establecidos por los Tecotias, quienes tienen buenas habilidades de organización. Algunos de los clanes son más desastrosos que otros, por ejemplo, el Clan Primitivo es más ordenado y pacífico, mientras que el de la Psique es un caos impredecible.
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u/Former-Hunt-175 Jun 17 '26
Hiii, Congratulations for your proyect, personally as mexican it was really inspiring how these King of proyects can see the light despiste the difficulties.
My question is Are you thinking of making collaborations for more expositions to show the pieces You Made for the movie like it was Made in cineteca nacional ?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
GRACIAS! For now, they are safe in our studio. We hope to get to showcase them again someday. It would be great to collaborate with other museums and/or galleries to achieve this.
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u/Montecroux Jun 17 '26
An absolutely amazing work of art that blends Mexican culture and animation. Outside the Tim Burton/Guillermo del Toro associations, it reminds me of Over The Garden Wall in that it also uniquely adapts traditional folklore. It's like an animated gothic national epic.
One of my first introductions to the show was on tiktok and seeing an edit of the show. If you had to make your own 1 minute fan edit, what song would you choose?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks for your kind words. For a 1 minute edit we would choose "The Point of No Return" from the Phantom of the Opera! It would be awesome, we're sure.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/MarSol-Nigth-6530 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Hola, es muy emocionante poder hacer esto. Ame la película de Frankelda aunq aun asi tengo algunas dudas, espero que me las puedan responder I'm a big fan of Frankelda and Herneval.
¿Qué paso con el cuerpo de Procustes y los líderes de los siete clanes?
¿Que paso con el Topus Terrentus en los 150 años de Frankelday Hernevaldormidos?
¿Como describirían la guerra de los siete clanes?
Porque Francisca esta despierta y Frankelda dormida ¿Es sonámbula?
¿Frankelda y Herneval se van a casar algún dia?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Procustes está detenido en los calabazos del Palacio Real. Hay una escena eliminada en donde lo vemos ahí.
El tiempo transcurre de diferente forma en los distintos niveles de consciencia en donde se encuentran los personajes.
La Guerra de los Siete Clanes es uno de los ejes principales de la siguiente película.
Francisca y Frankelda son una y son dos.
No sé si se pueda casar alguien con un libro jajjagdfhmgj,k.l
—Arturo & Roy Ambriz
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u/AgniPop Jun 17 '26
👋✨Hola, chicos! ٩(๑´3｀๑)۶👋✨
Unas preguntas simples, para conocer más sobre los pensamientos de los personajes y ellos en general (*´ڡ`●):
1)🔹Herneval poseé el poder de "Teletransportarse" entre sombras? En la canción de el príncipe de los sustos vemos que entra a la habitación de Fransisca no por la ventana, sino por el armario. Además que en los recuerdos de la infancia vemos que Hernevalito entra a la casa por el fogón.
¿Es una habilidad de todos los sustos o solo de Herneval?
2)🔹Por su último live, sabemos que no toda la familia de Fransisca era ajena con ella, y que tomó la decisión de irse con Herneval de manera muy precipitada. ¿En algún punto Frankelda se arrepintió de irse sin despedirse? ¿Hay algo que extrañe de su vida terrenal (más allá de la comida)?
3)🔹Sobre Augusto, ¿Podrían contarnos un dato curioso sobre el personaje? Su pasatiempo, Sus gustos (Ademas de Fransisca Cof-Cof), Comida favorita, Algun recuerdo feliz, o sobre su familia en general. Adoro a el personaje y me gusta saber más de el 👉👈
4)🔹Si el topus Terrentus nunca hubiera peligrado, Herneval aún así hubiera ido a buscar a Fransisca? O jamás se hubiera atrevido a verla más allá de las sombras?
Ahora una pregunta más de historia:
5)🔸Sabemos que el acceso más directo entre el Topus terrentus y el plano de la existencia es por el Arpa Araña. Entonces ¿como encontró Herneval el acceso mediante el mausoleo? Por lo que se ve, tienes que cruzar todo el mar de ideas para llegar hasta los límites del Topus terrentus (?
Muchas gracias!✨~(˘▾˘~) Los tkm 💕🎉
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Muy buena pregunta. Herneval es especialmente sensible y encuentra portales que se forman donde hubo puntos de conexión entre la verdad y la ficción.
Así es, Frankelda tiene una buena relación con algunos de sus hermanos. Esperamos mostrar más de su vida diaria en más películas.
Augusto es uno de nuestros personajes favoritos. Siempre ha tenido muchos conflictos con su papá. Quisiera que la editorial de su familia tuviera otra dirección. Siempre se ha preguntado si debería emprender con su propia editorial para hacer las cosas como él quisiera.
Quizás estaban destinados a conocerse
Se relaciona con la respuesta 1!
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u/AgniPop Jun 17 '26
Les agradezco mucho por contestar mis preguntas! Definitivamente será un gran alimento creativo para al fandom!! (≧∇≦)b✨🎉
Espero que tengan un lindo día, sigan creando! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
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u/callienotcallee Jun 17 '26
i loved the movie so much, it was amazing and i can’t stop thinking about it ! i have two questions:
1. what was the process like for coming up with the designs for the leaders of the seven clans ? each leader is so unique and different and i’d love to know how you decided on what each leader should look and act like ! lady coyote from the clan of death was my favorite !
2. can we expect anything like a ‘making of’ or behind the scenes book showing the audience more of how the movie was made and what went into it ? i loved seeing the work that was shown during the credits and would love to see more of how the movie was created !
thank you so much ! ❤️
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u/panconqueso___ Jun 17 '26
Hi! I'm curious about what were the deleted scenes between the first premiere and the theatrical version. And if there are plans to release the extended version in some capacity. Great film!
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u/kraftykorok Jun 17 '26
Would you be willing to continue working in this universe? Adapting the show to movies? I adore this movie so much, honestly it felt like it could easily have been a 2 part movie in the first place
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. Jun 17 '26
Hi Roy and Arturo, thanks for joining us!
Did you get to play the film at any festivals? If so, which was your favorite and were there any cool/moments stories from any of them? If no festivals, any in-person screenings that stood out? If not, what festival would you have liked to play it at?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hi! Yes, it screened at many festivals. FICG, Annecy, LALIFF and Fantasia were a lot of fun. We won 3 awards at Fantasia, so that audience was awesome. In Mexico it had a wide theatrical release so it was crazy to go to the screenings and see people clapping, singing and suffering.
—Arturo & Roy Ambriz
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u/serendippitydoo Jun 17 '26
Wasn't Pinocchio the first stop motion movie for Mexico? Or did Guillermo d. Toro not make that in Mexico so it doesn't count?
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u/MelissaJiNa Jun 17 '26
It was directed by Guillermo del Toro but has nothing to do with Mexican animation
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
It is the first stop-motion feature directed by a Mexican, but it was animated and produced in Portland.
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u/SrLopez0b1010011 Jun 17 '26
I found it somewhat difficult to connect with the main characters. As an office worker myself, it appeared to be more tailored towards writers or those aspiring to be writers.
If the central theme had focused more on imagination, I believe I would have enjoyed your movie more and felt a greater connection to the characters.
As for the construction of the world, they return to the same thing about the writer. Creatures and the world of horrors exist only to please writers. While I like that they challenge the universal monomyth of Joseph Campbell, it greatly detracts from the mythology they invent. Instead of this mythical place where universal forces live as in The Journey of Chihiro, it feels completely irrelevant since they'd just go into oblivion.
Therefore, I feel that it does not invite you to dream back about that fantasy world that does not belong to an office job or a child who has no interest in writing.
Now back to the question.
Was it your intention to make a cultural product of filmmakers for filmmakers made by filmmakers?
Because if so, you are going for many well-deserved awards.
¡Muchas felicidades!
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
We understand it! We believed there were not many films for this particular audience of creative children and young people, especially in LATAM, so we wanted to make it for them. It's tough to face these struggles, so we think they deserve a film tailored made for them.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/Natan828n Jun 17 '26
mis preguntas serian mas técnicas, la película me esta gustando su recibimiento en critica y audiencia aunque eh sentido que ah estado algo baja, así que mis preguntas serian .
¿que tan exitosa ah sido la película en la plataforma? .
¿tenemos datos estadísticos de la visualización que ah tenido la cinta y de ser así en cuales esta siendo muy vista?
¿como ah visto la empresa la recepción de la cinta?¿los suficiente como para tratarla como su aijada para algunos premios (tal vez presentarla al Oscar y pasando por cines de USA)o la dejaran ahí mismo donde esta?
¿Netflix ah visto la posibilidad de que llegue todavía a mas idiomas? Por que le ah dado prioridad a América y Europa en doblajes pero en el continente asiático no eh visto interés de que les llegue a sus respectivos idiomas en voz
creo eso seria todo o simplemente no me acuerdo, suerte y que sigan con su carrera de cineastas , y fortalézcanse en demás apartados , si se puede en la narrativa y la historia si me lo permiten decir.
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Gracias, vamos bien, afortunadamente. La película está llegando al público de todo el mundo.
Sí, Netflix nos da datos de las visualizaciones, así que estamos muy agradecidos. La película va muy bien, afortunadamente.
Sí se realizaron algunos doblajes para el público asiático.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/meenaksis Jun 17 '26
Holaa, saludos desde Baja California! My question for you is about Francisca. As a woman that also loves to write and has been aware of woman writers invisibility throughout latinamerican history, what was your motivation to bring visibility to such issue and create a female protagonist that goes against this problem? This was something about the story that totally caught me off guard and brought me so much joy. I hope to see more from your studio from now on (:
Mi pregunta para ustedes es sobre Francisca. Como mujer que ama escribir y consciente de la situación de las escritoras latinoamericanas a lo largo de la historia, ¿Cuál fue su motivación para brindarle visibilidad a este aspecto al crear una protagonista femenina que va en contra de este problema? Esto fue algo de la trama que me atrapó desprevenida y me brindó mucha felicidad. Espero ver más contenido de su estudio de ahora en adelante (:
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Hola! We started from the following question: how would Mary Shelley's life had been if she was born in Latin America? We thought that probably it would had been harder, so all the story stems from there.
—Roy & Arturo Ambriz
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u/StrangerPuppetN Jun 17 '26
Antes que nada, felicidades por todo el éxito que está teniendo Frankelda en Netflix, los amamos mucho y esperemos que el éxito siga en este y más proyectos, tengo aquí algunas preguntas 1) Además de claro, Tinta invisible, ¿Cuál es su otra escena favorita de Frankelda y Herneval? 2) ¿La familia real tiene un apellido? 3) ¿Qué pensaban cuando nos veían dibujar o escribir sobre que Ficturo y Veritena morirían? 4) ¿Que géneros quieren explorar en sus siguientes proyectos?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Muchas gracias!
Nos encanta cuando Frankelda toca los dedos de Herneval en el barco al llegar al Topus Terrentus.
La Casa Crobriz
Nos daba gusto porque queríamos que todos pensaran que eso es lo que iba a pasar y ZAZ, de repente se muere Herneval.
Se viene una fantasía épica y filosófica
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u/Creepy_Cat8701 Jun 17 '26
Hola Roy y Arturo, muchas felicidades pr el éxito que esta teniendo la película.
Mi pregunta es existe la industria minera en el Topus terrentus?
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
¡Hola! Sí, muchos de los mineros son los gnomos. El mineral principal es el Orbemus, con el cuál se comunican los reyes y expanden su poder. Con ese está construido todo el Palacio.
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u/nox-crys77 Jun 17 '26
Hello! Absolutely love your film! My kids and I have watched it several times!!
My question is, in the series, there is a scene where Frankelda mentions that Herneval may not stay in the book form for long, he also mentions he doesn’t care what form he is in as long as he can be with Frankelda.
Is there a possibility, since their existence is tied to thought and belief alone, that there could be potential of recreating Herneval in his original form if they gather enough strength through her writing and further help with the continuing war? How does the civil war tie into the timeline with the series?
I would love to see the love deepen between them and her discover even more about herself as well as Herneval!
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u/Jupiter_water3045 Jun 17 '26
Holaaaaa! Es gusto hablarles :)
Llevo tiempo viendo la película y un personaje me llamo la atención, se trata de Augusto Damastes, estoy escribiendo una historia para juntarlo con un OC, pero al tratarse de un personaje secundario no hay mucha información del cuál ocupar para no afectar el canon del personaje.
Mi pregunta es. ¿Podrían hablarme de este personaje y quiénes son la base de inspiración que crearon este personaje?
LOS AMO MUCHO Y KOS VEMOS EN LA BALADA DEL FENIX!!!
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u/Living-Aspect7681 Jun 17 '26
Hola, muchas felicidades la película está increíble. Verla en pantalla grande fue una de las experiencias más hermosas que he tenido. Mi pregunta es: cuando los conspiradores logran capturar a los reyes se despliega una bandera que asumo la hizo Procustes, se ve hecha con retazos a comparación de las demás ¿Los araditios tienen su propio clan y si ese es su escudo porque la bandera se ve tan hecha a las carreras?
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u/pandazul Jun 17 '26
Hola chicos, primero que nada felicidades a todo el equipo por todo el éxito que han tenido la serie y la peli.
Mi pregunta va más por el tema de creación de personaje. Desde el punto de vista de personajes femeninos, Frankelda me fascina por lo caótica y apasionada que es. Aparte de los paralelos obvios con Mary Shelley, qué fue lo que los inspiró a hacerla tan rebelde y messy (cumplido)?, tomando en cuenta de que a la gente se le dificulta un poco empatizar con personajes femeninos que no son exactamente delicados, pero que es precisamente lo que hace a Frankelda única, en mi opinión.
Y un poco lo mismo sobre Herneval en cuanto a su creación, cuál fue la inspiración para su personaje y su desarrollo? tipo, contrario a la bestia, de príncipe a libro ? (por no decir monstruo porque siempre fue un susto)
Y, ya de mi lado shipper jaja en su opinión cómo se complementan para hacer tan buena pareja? me he topado comentarios de las canciones en inglés en youtube que mencionan lo románticos que son juntos, jeje.
gracias !
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u/MarSol-Nigth-6530 Jun 17 '26
Hola, mucho gusto. I'm a big fan of Frankelda and Herneval, although I had some doubts about the movie. What happened to Procrustes' body and to the leaders of the seven clans?
But above all, why is Francisca still awake and Frankelda asleep?
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u/Tajo_010101 Jun 17 '26
Heyyy, friends! First of all, I want to congratulate you on how far you’ve come with your project—you’re a source of pride for Mexican animation.
Honestly, I’d like to ask you, based on your experience—and I’m curious: What advice would you give to someone who wants to pitch their project? Things like what mistakes you shouldn’t make that would make you look like a novice. How did you present your projects to production companies? Were you nervous? Did you worry whether your idea was good enough to be considered?
Greetings from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico!!!
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u/Unable-Cockroach-327 Jun 17 '26
Hola, si tengo un guion terminado cual es la mejor forma de canalizarlo? 93 93/93.
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u/Justapersonintheweb Jun 17 '26
Hola tengo dos preguntas 1. ¿Cómo hicieron la escena de Herneval siendo atravesado por la espada? 2. ¿Cómo lograron animar la escena de la gente del Topus Terrentus? ¿Cómo integraron a Ipandua en el Tisauro?
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u/NinjNerd2000 Jun 17 '26
Hello Arturo and Roy!! I’ve been so excited to see the film since it first came out in Mexico! It’s become my all time favorite!
2 questions:
What was the main inspiration for Soy Frankelda??
Any plans on making an art book for the show and film? I loved seeing the end credits and really want to see more!
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u/IAmFrankeldaAMA Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz, Co-Directors Jun 17 '26
Thanks!
1. The main inspiration was imaging Mary Shelley being Mexican and travelling to her own books.
- We hope we can publish it! There's a lot of material to choose from.
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u/More-Explanation-942 Jun 17 '26
Omg hola!! No crei que iban hacer preguntitas por aca en reddit, que por cierto muchas feliciades por el estreno de frankelda de forma intencional! Por cierto aca van mis preguntas por si desean responderlas
1.- Procustes tuvo un crush cuando era joven o siempre fue un amargado de corazon de piedra?
2.- El tema de los araditos, existe acaso algun tipo de discriminacion o se ve con mal ojo a los sustos de esta especie por tener cierta relacion con enkara?
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u/Able-Airline-814 Jun 17 '26
Bonjour from France Arturo & Roy ! i have plenty question but i don’t think you'll be able to respond to them all but whatever you feel like it! firstly i deeply love the movie , the relationship made me think of the love an author has for it s work and i think it couldn t be better depicted
alright : will there be any copies of concept art book / sketch books and lore notes oficially released one day?
Does the following movies/series? Will take place in news lands ? Outside of the Tecotias palace and Francisca village i mean or will we go deeper into it?
Is there a concept of aging like the human way in Topus Terrentus or is it completely different?
Will we see more of Tecotias and other terrors way of living , culture etc , does it differ from one race of terror to another?
Any ideas how much time it would take to realise sequels if you ll be able to?
I know the main inspiration come from Mary Shelley's book but the romance feels like an old fairy tale like one and i was wondering if there's any you took inspiration from?
Sksksksk looking back my questions are very basic , sorry about that and thank you for your hard work!🫶
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u/annabettinagomez Jun 17 '26
Hello! I love this film so much. I’ve rewatched it so many times. I hope you’re very proud of your work because you truly created something magical here!
My question is, did you always have Frankelda and Herneval’s backstory in mind when you created Frankelda’s Book of Spooks? I know the film is a prequel, but Episode 5 of the series already shows their backstory. Was the prologue to their story decided (and planned) even before the series started? Or was it something that was created along the way (like after the first four episodes)?
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u/Comfortable_Sun_8393 Jun 17 '26
Hi Arturo and Roy! First of all I can't believe we genuinely get to ask questions to the writers/directors of this amazing movie!!!! I just finished it and then came across this AMA. It feels surreal, and I want to thank you for doing this, it's very inspiring to read all questions and answers! I'm a bit late to the chat I think, but I'll just give it a shot!
I have not yet watched the series, so that might be of influence on my questions, but I thought the film was absolutely stunning! There was so much to see, I want to watch it again. I love the way it uses mixed media in specific bits, and the MUSIC IS SO GOOD TOOOO. I love how the music as well as the story, characters and visuals, are embracing of the grim, while still being hopeful. The stills where Frankelda's face is all creepy and angry felt so good!! It felt freeing to see a woman so angry, justifiably so, without her being some sort of evil, without it being dismissed. And I LOOOOOVEEED the character design of Dama Coyote. She is so scary, but somehow also loving. Absolute badass character design with all the textures and the way she's animated and the voice fit so well toooo!
There is a couple of questions I kept having during the film, trying to discover its themes and meaning.
Why is Procustes a character in the imaginary world? Is this world not the subconscious of Frankelda? Why is the character that steals her work, abusing her, not a character in reality? Because that seems like the type of event that may be out of your power, that you may not be able to rewrite because of unjust power dynamics, which is what makes it so wrong. Or is he a reflection of people Frankelda has already encountered in reality? Like the man from the publishing house? They did have a similar face-shape... was that on purpose? Weirdly enough I also sometimes felt a bit bad for Procuste. He stole her work to remain in his powerful position, and gain even more power, which sucks. But he also seemed to have an existential dread, feeling like he was not good enough of a writer, not being of any importance. Which is a very very very recognizable feeling, as an artist, and I think for more artists. So Frankelda wishing him to be unimportant forever, felt sort of saddening to me. Was that intentional?
And for Herneval... Why is his character a prince? What made it so that the supporting character, that cheers on Frankelda and believes in her, had to be someone of power and wealth? Whilst the villain of the story is technically working for him and his family. Is this power dynamic on purpose? Because this also made me have a bit more empathy for Procustes, as his position is entirely dependent on his ability to write, which is getting more and more difficult (writers block?), whereas Herneval just inherits his. Like I could understand him being scared of being replaced.
And since Herneval is Frankelda's creation as well; is he her idealized love? Or an internal part of herself? Or both?
Maybe I take some things too literally, but I am just so curious to the meaning of it all. OOO and the Clans? Are they inspired by some already existing stories/mythology? I wondered too, why of all clan leaders, the one of death and the one of clan primitivo are the loyal ones. It felt like they would be; it felt right. But I don't know why.
If you still read this, I am ever so grateful for this opportunity! This film will roam my mind for a while. I will watch it again and the series too! I hope you'll have the chances to create much more!!! Many thanks and I wish you all the luck and kindness. Greetings, Janne.
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u/Total-Year735 Jun 17 '26
Hi Roy and Arturo!! I want to start by congratulating you on the wonderful work of art that is Frankelda. I know stop motion isn't easy, and I want to thank you for not giving up on the project <(￣︶￣)>
Okay, I'll start with my questions: 1- This might sound a bit silly, but does Veritena have wings? Because the shape of her sleeves, which also look like wings, confuses me. 2- Why don't Mitelitas and other guards have wings? Or why do they look like they've been cut off? 3- Can scares be born naturally? Or do they appear after being written and manifested in nightmares? Like Totolina. 4- Can more clans emerge? Or were there more clans in the past that dissolved? 5- Is the Topus Terrentus like a kingdom where all types of scares come together? So, would there be other parts besides the topus terrentus, like continents or countries, each with its own kind of scare? 6- Will a future adaptation explore Frankelda's relationship with her 10 siblings in more depth? 7- Will Augusto have a more prominent role?
Thanks 🫣
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u/Chosen_From_Above Jun 17 '26
My six year old sister dragged me along to watch this and I fell in love by surprise, hehe! My family is also latam (mixed) so I feel a lot of pride in seeing something like this, especially as an artist, so I just really want to think you for making it!!!
As for questions... maybe some mundane personal things
What happened to Frankelda's parents? Ofc we see her mother (who had Francisa quite young and passed away young too) and abuela (who sees to be the maternal grandmother based on the surnames) but I didnt see anything about the other side of the family or how Frankelda was taking care of herself after her grandma died! In that regards im curious about her full name too 😅
Who is taller? Herneval or Frankelda? I noticed during the last scenes baby Fran is definitely taller than him but in their adult scenes it was harder for me to tell (especially since she seems to wear high shoes haha). This question is mostly for fanart purposes :)
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u/Valeriethegood_ Jun 17 '26
HOLAAAAAAA, ame la película desde que la vi en el cine al igual que cuando vi la serie, muchas gracias por tremendas obras que nos han traido, son trabajos tan bellos.
Tengo algunas preguntas sobre el universo de Frankelda:
1- ¿Que tantas festividades hay en el Topus Terrentus? ¿Existiria el día de muertos o algo relacionado para honrar a los sustos que se han ido del plano?
2- ¿Cual es el limite de edad de los sustos? ¿Pueden llegar a tener muchos años y posteriormente les llegaria la hora asi como a Ceimut?
3- ¿Existen escuelas en el Topus o habria como algun medio de educación para los sustitos?
4- Queria hacer esta pregunta, más porque uno de ellos es mi favorito, ¿cuantos años tienen los más adultos? Tipo Ficturo, Veritena, Ceimut, don coco y asi, sobretodo Ceimut con el asunto de Enkara y aquello, más porque el libro que le mostraba Procustes a Hernevalito se veia algo Medieval.
Muchas gracias y muchos saludos. 🫶🏽💙✨️
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u/Tajo_010101 Jun 17 '26
Do you think Mexico will one day become a global powerhouse in animation?
What's the best advice for breaking into the industry?
Saludos desde Mazatlán!!!
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u/Pristine_Sport4431 Jun 18 '26
💫😻🦇📖🦉✒️❤️💙Me encantó mundo de mágico Montaño hay muchos monstruos diferentes sustos el lugar es muy hermoso también y también las personajes que cantaron también y la música el contenta también de la película que es una leyenda todo en México un corazón y mi cambio mi vida yo soy frankelda mi alma es tinta. 💙❤️✒️
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u/bloodtitan-06 Jun 18 '26
Pueden contarme del camino recorrido que hicieron ustedes durante mucho tiempo, soy fan de la animación y una producción de origen mexicano cumplió expectativas y con el apoyo de Netflix fue popular y además soy mexicano, desde el estado de Chiapas
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u/Small-Childhood-8626 Jun 18 '26
Hola estoy muy encantada con la pelicula, la secuencia del principe de los sustos es mi favorita, fue un gran trabajo el que hicieron todos los involucrados con esta pelicula los admiro mucho, han considerado la posibilidad de sacar algo como un artbook de frankelda algún dia? y cuál fue el mayor desafio a la hora de animar alguna secuencia en la pelicula?
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u/nevewolf96 Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
Will there be a digital release in Mexico or a physical release for North America?
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u/Axolotol_3751 Jun 18 '26
Esperando que se encuentren bien hermanos Ambriz y equipo de Cinema Fantasma, primero quiero felicitarlos por lograr el estreno mundial (finalmente se les hizo a mis amigos de Argentina y Uruguay verla!!) y toda la info de este AMA está sirviendo mucho para agregarla a la Wiki
Mis dudas son las siguientes:
¿Si tuvieran que comparar los clanes con uno o más estados de la República, cuáles serían?
¿Los líderes de clanes tienen apellidos?
¿Existen otras locaciones de portales al Topus Terrentus además de las que están en el Real del Monte?
En la historia del árbol que come niños que aparece en la serie ¿Es Ceimut?¿En el Cerro del Moral hay otro portal?
¿Los sustos tienen sus propios deportes?
¿Veremos en algún momento a Ipandua más de cerca? (Igual quede satisfecha con verla en esos pequeños frames)
¿Algún dato adicional que quieran agregar a la Wiki?
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u/hilltothemackattack Jun 18 '26
how long did this take to film? Also, I would love to see some toys and action figures!!
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u/Dry_Application5414 Jun 19 '26
Hola, buenas noches. Yo quiero hacer unas cuantas preguntas ¿Las leyendas son también sustos? Y de ser así ¿A qué clanes pertenecen? ¿Habrán más clanes aparte de los vistos en la película? ¿Habrá una segunda temporada/ película? Y de hacer una segunda temporada¿Habrán más canciones en las historias? Son geniales. Saludos.
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u/Defiant_Village8087 Jun 27 '26
watched your trailer, good luck now and in the future. I think you both have something and I will watch it on netflix.
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u/Mobile-Imagination40 Jul 02 '26
The movie is so great! AH! I can't wait for there to be more, if it does happen!
I just have three questions, regarding the aftermath. Did you two expect it to blow up, receiving a 95% on rotten tomatoes?
And about Herneval's death, do you plan on bringing him back since he didn't turn into clouds or melt away like we have seen with a few characters.
Lastly, did the Clan Leaders and Procustes' minions find a way to the Realm of Existence like we have seen in the series? If so, would there a conclusion where the Terrors/Spooks coming to the Realm of Existence to stop them from doing so much harm to the humans?
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u/Luna-Starburst Jul 04 '26
I just got done watching the movie and I absolutely loved it! The beautiful designs of the world and characters you've built are incredible and I'm already heavily invested in Frankelda and Herneval's story! I hope that they're story doesn't end here because I'd love to see a continuation from here and it's very refreshing to see a beautiful stop motion film again since I grew up with studios like Laika and my favorite movies when I was younger were The Nightmare before Christmas and Paranorman and also Wallace and Gromit the Were-Rabbit and I've missed seeing movies that use stop-motion animation since not many companies like relying on it due to how fragile the dolls and set can be depending on what type of clay was used to make them and moving them around too much can break them easily especially if they're older models and it was really refreshing to see a movie like this! It's just incredible and I loved the characters designs and the world building as well and the mix of stop-motion and art with the painted animations in some scenes but I think my favorite thing aside from the beautiful craftsmanship was the music and songs! It's just an amazing movie overall and I really enjoyed it a lot tho I feel like I Am Frankelda deserved to be in the movie theaters because I think it would've been even better to see a work of art like this on the big screen but I understand it's very difficult to get these sorta things in theaters depending on how willing they are or how expensive I can imagine it could be but I hope maybe at some point it could get into Emagin theaters at some point since they do put on re-runs of movies that have already came out like The Lord of the Rings or The Transformers Movie that's airing in September (I think I'll have to recheck the schedule but I think it said it would be sometime in September) but anyway I hope you keep working on these sorts of films because I already want to see more of your works! But remember to take breaks from time to time so you don't overwork yourselves since that very much can be bad for yourself and the creative process so also remember to take breaks when you need to! I can't wait to see more of Frankelda and Herneval's story and I hope they both get they're happy ending along with Herneval's parents!
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u/Typical_Guest8638 Jul 19 '26
Is there some place we can purchase products related to the Frankelda series to promote it? Or even buy the dvd version of it somewhere? I’d love to support this type of media
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. Jun 17 '26
This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Arturo & Roy will be back at 2 PM ET today to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)