I Am Frankelda Parent Guide

In 19th century Mexico, Francisca (Mireya Mendoza) is an orphan in the care of her stern grandmother. To escape her distressing situation, the imaginative young girl turns to writing, reimagining herself as a horror writer she names Frankelda. Francisca’s alter ego dreams of an elaborate world full of terrifying creatures and awesome adventures, filling pages and pages with stories. But the people around her aren’t interested in her twisted tales, even when she tries to get them published. 

One day Frankelda is shocked when Prince Herneval (Arturo Mercado Jr.), a character from her stories, appears in the human world with the news that her imagined world is not only real, but also in trouble. Drawn into the world she created, Frankelda must draw on all her creativity to protect the barrier between the real world and the land of terrors. 

I’m always the first person to complain about the lack of creativity in mainstream children’s media. Most animated features are devoid of any real artistry, favoring profit over storytelling. So when a smaller studio comes out with something new and original, I get excited. I Am Frankelda is the most creative film I’ve seen in a long time. It’s not perfect, but it’s so refreshing to see actual art on the screen that its flaws are more forgivable than they would be in a more conventional production. 

The animation is the star here. Multiple scenes made me wonder how it was possible to create such complex, dazzling visuals with stop motion techniques. This animated world is lush, full, and visionary. Every new creature was something I’d never seen before. This is not a realm of fanciful whimsy, but instead a place of spooky nightmares and terrifying beasts. Every frame is bursting with imagination, and it speaks to the dedication of everyone involved in the production. 

Though the artistry is incredible, the script isn’t quite up to par. The story falls apart about halfway through and doesn’t its footing again in the third act. The first act sets up the world beautifully, but there’s just too much going on to maintain it all. The movie is still a visual treat, but the plot becomes hard to follow and the messages get muddled. 

Although the script is flawed, I still enjoyed the film due to its high levels of creativity and the obvious heart put into every moment. Parents should be aware that this is a horror-style world with creepy monsters and some violence. I would place it on a similar level spook-wise to The Nightmare Before Christmas, which makes it unsuitable for very young or sensitive audiences. I Am Frankelda feels more like a love letter to the art of stop motion than entertainment for children, so it may have more success with adult genre fans than family audiences, but at least it’s a refreshing departure from the pack.