Filmmakers Roy and Arturo Ambriz Reject AI for 'I Am Frankelda,' Embrace Traditional Stop-Motion Craft
I Am Frankelda, a stop-motion animated feature from Mexican sibling directors Roy and Arturo Ambriz, is now streaming on Netflix after premiering at festivals including Annecy. The film, a prequel to their 2021 Cartoon Network series Frankelda's Book of Spooks, is notable as Mexico's first-ever stop-motion feature and received significant mentorship and editorial guidance from Guillermo del Toro. Its release marks a landmark moment for Mexican animation and has sparked wider conversations about AI in filmmaking and the value of handcrafted storytelling.
I Am Frankelda (Spanish: Soy Frankelda), written and directed by brothers Roy and Arturo Ambriz through their Mexico City studio Cinema Fantasma, is now available on Netflix worldwide. Set in 19th-century Mexico in 1866, the film follows young writer Francisca Imelda — inspired by the real-life story of Mary Shelley — who dubs herself 'Frankelda' and journeys into a subconscious Realm of Terror populated by the monsters she has created. The film is distinguished by its intricate handcrafted puppet animation, gothic visual design, and musical numbers, with still images from the film showcasing elaborately detailed stop-motion characters including an owl-like prince and a blue-skinned girl clutching a book. Guillermo del Toro played a pivotal role in the project's development: he helped the Ambriz brothers re-edit the film after its festival cut screened at Annecy, called their animators almost daily with notes, assisted in securing Mexican distribution, and ultimately helped connect the film with Netflix. The Ambriz brothers, who first contacted del Toro by email 17 years ago, have maintained a deepening mentorship with him that has extended to accompanying him to Abbey Road Studios and Canada during post-production on his own Frankenstein. The film's Netflix debut coincided in Mexico with del Toro's Frankenstein on October 23, 2025, creating a cultural moment compared locally to the simultaneous Barbie and Oppenheimer releases. The directors have also used the film's release to publicly affirm their rejection of AI in the creative process, pledging to shoot their next film entirely without green screen or AI tools.
What's missing
The articles do not clarify the film's runtime, budget, or the size of the Cinema Fantasma production team, which would help contextualize the scale of the achievement as Mexico's first stop-motion feature.
How coverage differed
The New York Post review focuses on the film's narrative density and visual excess, offering a measured critical assessment that notes both strengths and weaknesses. Newsweek and Forbes frame the story more celebratorily, emphasizing the filmmakers' philosophy, del Toro's mentorship, and the film's cultural significance, with little critical distance.
What different sources said
- New York PostRight
Stream It Or Skip It: ‘I Am Frankelda’ on Netflix, a Stop-Motion Animated Phantasmagoria of Visual Wonders
- NewsweekCenter
INTERVIEW: 'I Am Frankelda' Makers on AI and Guillermo del Toro's Lessons
- ForbesCenter
‘I Am Frankelda’ Directors On How Guillermo Del Toro Influenced Their New Stop-Motion Film
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