Quirino Awards Bestow Top Prizes on ‘Bob Spit,’ ‘Bestia’ & ‘Frankelda’

The Quirino Awards for Ibero-American Animation announced the winners of its 5th edition on Saturday, recognizing works from Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Spain. The award ceremony was held on May 14 at the Teatro Leal de San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, streamed live worldwide.

The winning works in the three main categories feature characters as different as a punk anti-hero, a mysterious ghostwriter and a secret police agent during the military dictatorship in Chile. In addition, all three were made in stop-motion, confirming the boom of this animation technique in Ibero-America.

Bob Spit – We Do Not Like People, the debut feature film by Brazilian director César Cabral, received the award for the Best Animation Feature Film. Combining elements of documentary and fiction, the film is a post-apocalyptic road movie starring Bob Spit, a mythical character from the Brazilian underground culture of the ’80s, created by cartoonist Angeli. The film was produced by Coala Filmes, and was also recognized with the Best Sound Design and Original Music awards.

Produced in Mexico, Frankelda’s Book of Spooks was recognized with the Best Animation Series award. This children’s horror series stars Frankelda, a mysterious ghostwriter who seeks to become the most well-known horror author in history with the help of an enchanted book. Directed by Roy and Arturo Ambriz, the show’s first season has premiered on the HBO Max streaming platform. Frankelda also received the Quirino Award for Best Animation Design.

Recognized as the Best Animation Short Film, Oscar-nominated Chilean project Bestia enters the psyche of a secret police agent during the military dictatorship in Chile. Directed by Hugo Covarrubias and inspired by real events, the short also received the Quirino Award for Best Visual Development.

Flies Only Live One Day by Mauro Luis López (Máster en Animación UPV, Valencia, Spain), took the Best School Short Film award, a category that recognizes emerging talents in Ibero-American animation. In addition, #binarygendernorm:Girls, directed by Bernardita Ojeda and Cristián Freire (Chile), was awarded Best Commissioned Animation, and Greak: Memories of Azur, a co-production between Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela, developed by Navegante Entertainment, received the award for Best Video Game Animation.

The winners were chosen by a jury composed of Sebastian Debertin (KiKA, Germany), Magdiela Hermida Duhamel (LatinX in Animation, United States), Zofia Jaroszuk (Animoon, Poland), Kenneth Ladekjær (Sun Creature Studio, Denmark) and Hernán La Greca (Creative Director and Content Developer, United States).

Animation Magazine Publisher Jean Thoren, who attended the Tenerife event, extended congratulations to the winners and “especially the team that has done such a spectacular job in five short years making this world-class festival such a success. It was a pleasure to meet so many people from all of the represented Ibero-American countries. It is quite obvious that our industry is thriving and growing in this sector with amazing creativity and talent.”

2022 Quirino Award Winners:

See all the 5th edition nominees here.

Best Ibero-American Animation Feature Film — Bob Spit – We Do Not Like People, directed by Cesar Cabral. Produced by Coala Filmes and Cup Filmes (Brazil).

Best Ibero-American Animation Series — Frankelda’s Book of Spooks – Season 1, directed by Roy Ambriz and Arturo Ambriz. Produced by Cinema Fantasma (Mexico).

Best Ibero-American Animation Short Film — Bestia, directed by Hugo Covarrubias. Produced by Trebol 3 Producciones and Maleza Estudio (Chile).

Best Ibero-American Animation School Short Film — Flies Only Live One Day, directed by Mauro Luis López. Máster en Animación UPV (Spain).

Best Ibero-American Animation Commissioned Film — #binarygendernorm: Girls, directed by Bernardita Ojeda and Cristián Freire. Produced by Pájaro (Chile).

Best Ibero-American Animation for Video Game — Greak: Memories of Azur. Developed by Navegante Entertainment (Mexico in coproduction with Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela).

Best Visual Development of Ibero-American Animation Work — Bestia. Produced by Trébol 3 Producciones and Maleza Estudio (Chile).

Best Animation Design of Ibero-American Animation Work — Frankelda’s Book of Spooks – Season 1. Produced by Cinema Fantasma (Mexico).

Best Sound Design and Original Music of Ibero-American Animation Work — Bob Spit – We Do Not Like People. Produced by Coala Filmes, Cup Filmes (Brazil).

Sponsored by the Cabildo de Tenerife through the Tenerife Film Commission, with this new edition, the Quirino Awards ratify their relevance in the construction of a common space for animation in the 23 countries of this region formed by Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

Created in 2018 by a group of professionals from Latin America and Spain, the Quirino Awards seek to value talent and the Ibero-American animation industry, in addition to promoting professional networks and contributing to the construction of an Ibero-American animation market. The awards were named in honor of the creator of the first animated feature film in history, the Italian-Argentine Quirino Cristiani, who in 1917 directed El Apóstol — an Argentine production made with 58,000 hand-drawings shot in 35mm.

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