The production by Tec graduate Nayelli Ojeda, created by over 100 artists, will represent Mexico at the Cannes Film Festival after its success in the United Kingdom.
Made with Oaxacan clay and Mexican materials, the stop-motion short Yugen has won the Best Animated Short award at the 2026 Manchester Film Festival, a qualifying festival for international awards such as the BAFTA Awards and the British Independent Film Awards.
It was produced by Mexican Nayelli Ojeda, a Digital Art and Animation graduate from Tec de Monterrey in Mexico City, who shared that the short film aims to convey popular culture, female empowerment, and the relationship between people and nature.
“I’ve always been interested in Mexican popular culture. I deeply love our country and that’s what drove the artistic direction of the project,” she said.
A story inspired by Mexican culture
The short film follows a family of two girls and their grandmother, and addresses themes of resilience and female empowerment in the face of life’s challenges.
“I wanted Yugen to be focused on female empowerment and how, from childhood, we have to face making decisions to get ahead,” Ojeda said.
Ojeda explained that the story came about in 2018, after participating in a clay workshop with local master potters. That’s where she decided that this tradition, along with nature, would be placed at the center of the project’s narrative.
“Nature is the most important thing we have; it’s the environment where we live and we share this home with other living beings,” she added.
“Nature is the most important thing we have; it’s the environment where we live and we share this home with other living beings.”
A creative project by over 100 artists
Yugen involved the participation of over 100 artists in its production, and more than 80 percent of the team was composed of women.
“A very strong connection was created between the participating artists, and that speaks to the power of women to carry out complex stop-motion projects,” said Ojeda.
During the creative process, different puppet prototypes and internal armatures were developed that would allow them to function during frame-by-frame animation.
“The characters took about six months to construct, and one of them, made entirely from tree bark, took eight months,” she added.
Next stop: Cannes
Following its world premiere and the award it won at the Manchester Film Festival, Yugen will continue its run through international festivals.
The next steps include participating in the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival, where the team will strive to connect with distributors to expand the project’s reach.
“We will continue with the global exhibition circuit so that the short film can reach other audiences,” the director concluded.
Nayelli Ojeda led a team of more than 100 artists to bring to life a story inspired by Mexican popular culture. Photo: Jesús Montes Zúñiga
ALSO READ:
Seleccionar notas relacionadas automáticamente
1
Category:
Related stories
