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The booming Mexican animation, video-game and comic-book festival Pixelatl is scheduled to rock Guadalajara once again this month (September 5-9). The popular event will feature informative panels and project spotlights as well as many opportunities to meet like-minded industry professionals and enjoy the many cultural offerings of the metropolis. We were quite pleased when the festival’s ebullient founder and CEO José Iñesta gave us an exclusive sneak peek at the 2023 edition of the event:
Animation Magazine: Well, congratulations on what promises to be another fantastic year for Pixelatl. As always, we are dying to find out what you and your team are cooking up!
José Iñesta: There are many highlights this year, but I want to draw attention to all the talent that we bring from video games, illustration, and comics to the event. We work in industries that overlap and support each other. That’s the reason we try to blend many topics, with artists from different techniques and backgrounds, so that together they start thinking about new possibilities and ways of telling stories in unordinary ways.
Regarding content, I’m personally excited about the panel for Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, which will be led by Pilar Flynn, one of the most important Latino leaders in the industry. Tristan Oliver’s presentation is something that I’m looking forward to. We need to remember that Pixelatl is a place where old and experienced artists meet young peers and emerging artists. We have amazing talks and workshops with famous veterans, but we also showcase emerging talents. We will see Work in Progress presentations of the upcoming Cinema Fantasma’s feature Aztec Batman and Rey Misterio (a high-profile animated series about a famous lucha libre idol).
What makes this edition of the festival special?
What makes this edition special is that we will have a special program dedicated to the history of Mexican animation in Mexico. The spotlights that appeared in Annecy this year will be part of our program as well. The local community will be able to take part and rejoice about our history and tradition of this art form that is now well received worldwide.
Also, something that is very close to my heart is the theme of this year’s event: “Dare to believe…” We are going through major political turmoil worldwide. New technology is changing our way of life and ambitious CEOs are gaining enormous amounts of money by saving costs or merging and downsizing studios. But we are forgetting what our industry is about. It’s not about making huge profits or margins. It’s about stories! Stories that connect people, not technology. Technology and profits need to be the means but never the end. We need to focus our attention to stories and bring new characters and themes that resonate with us and our audiences.
We originally came up with the theme long before this summer’s actors and writers’ strikes and the global attention to the unfair treatment of our community. But we need to believe that stories are the path to connect and to better our world. So, we need to continue to work together as a team and support each other in this time of turmoil.
How much has the event grown since the move to Guadalajara in 2022?
We were pleasantly shocked about the growth of Pixelatl. When we moved, we grew 30 percent. Let’s see how this year turns out. We are expecting the same amount of people as last year — around 3,500 people.
What is your take on the thriving animation scene in Mexico?
The most exciting thing happening in Mexico right now is collaboration. Some state governments have created special incentives for the animation industry. Schools are developing amazing talent, and studios have the capacity to participate in international projects with very good quality. On top of that, there is a lot of collaboration not only in Mexico but throughout all of Latin America.
You played a big part at Annecy this past year … How did that make an impact on your event in 2023?
We got a successful spotlight in Annecy this year. Now we need to capitalize that attention into new projects and original content. Also, it’s important to get the government interested in developing new incentives to support the industry. Finally, students who are eager to continue their development need to know that there is a huge community worldwide looking for talent and ideas that they can bring to projects and studios.
What is your best advice for newcomers to the world of Pixelatl Festival this year?
The most important advice I can give is to not hesitate. It’s a big event with multiple activities happening simultaneously. Try to learn about the program ahead of time so that you can go to what interests you more. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Everybody in the community is eager and willing to help newcomers. Finally, participate in the social activities, like the GIF contest, the live drawing sessions, the artists drawing duel, and other fun activities that help us to get to know each other in a relaxed environment!
For more information about this year’s Pixelatl Festival, visit elfestival.mx.
