When was the last time an animated film genuinely stopped you in your tracks? I Am Frankelda is about to do exactly that. Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer, stunning stills, and key art for this handcrafted dark fantasy — and the internet is already calling it something truly special.
Table of Contents
I Am Frankelda — Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Netflix Release Date | June 12, 2026 |
| Original Title | Soy Frankelda |
| Directors | Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz |
| Creative Mentor | Guillermo del Toro (protégés) |
| Animation Style | Stop-Motion |
| Runtime | 103 minutes |
| Language | Spanish (+ English dub) |
| Festival Premieres | Annecy 2025, Tokyo IFF, Fantasia, FICG |
| Mexico Box Office | MXN $50.4 million |
| Milestone | Mexico’s first stop-motion animated feature film |
What Is I Am Frankelda About?
The film is a prequel to the Cartoon Network Latin America series Frankelda’s Book of Spooks, exploring the origin story behind the titular character. Set in 19th-century Mexico, Frankelda is a gifted writer whose dark tales are ignored and dismissed. Forced to suppress her voice, she refuses to give up — but when thrust into her subconscious, the very monsters she created come to life. Guided by Herneval, a tormented prince trapped between dreams and nightmares, she must restore balance between fiction and reality before both realms collapse, while confronting a love that defies existence. IndieWire
Think Nightmare Before Christmas painted in vivid Mexican colour — with a sharp feminist undercurrent running through every frame.
A Historic Moment for Latin American Animation
Directed by Arturo and Roy Ambriz — protégés of Academy Award-winner Guillermo del Toro — I Am Frankelda is billed as a huge milestone for Latin American animation. This is genuinely uncharted territory: a fully independent, handcrafted stop-motion animation feature produced entirely in Mexico, years in the making, finally reaching a global audience through Netflix. Bloody Disgusting!
The Ambriz brothers shared a heartfelt statement about the film: “As brothers, we grew up inventing worlds together, drawing, playing, imagining. Over time we understood that fictional characters were not only companions but guides. We believe fiction is not an escape from reality but a way of understanding it — a way of converting truth into palatable chunks.” What’s on Netflix
Where Can You Watch It?
Netflix will release the film in both the original Spanish version with subtitles and in an English-language dub on June 12, 2026. It will also receive a simultaneous limited theatrical release in select markets.
For more animation news and Netflix releases, visit Technosports.
FAQs
Q: When does I Am Frankelda release on Netflix?
I Am Frankelda releases globally on Netflix on June 12, 2026, available in both the original Spanish with subtitles and an English-language dub.
Q: Who directed I Am Frankelda and why is it significant?
Directed by brothers Arturo and Roy Ambriz — protégés of Guillermo del Toro — it is Mexico’s first ever stop-motion animated feature film, making it a landmark moment for Latin American cinema.
