Director Natalia León Discusses Her Sundance Prize-Winning Short ‘Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado’

Earlier this month, Natalia León’s acclaimed new short, Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado (As If the Earth Had Swallowed Them) took home Sundance Film Festival’s top animation prize, making the film automatically eligible for next year’s Academy Awards. The poignant 2D-animated short centers on the experiences of a young woman who returns to her hometown in Mexico in hopes of reconnecting with her lost past.

We had a chance to interview the talented filmmaker via email recently. Here is what she share with us:

Animation Magazine: First of all, congrats on the recent success of your short at Sundance. Looks like 2025 will be a great year for you. Can you tell us a bit about the projects and the origins for your inspirations?

Natalia León: What is happening to women in Mexico every day is deeply painful to me — but that was not always the case. As a child, protected by my parents, I was unaware of the horrific reality of my country. In Mexico, extreme violence against women is part of daily life. These numbers have become a terrible norm, and femicides only continue to rise. We are a society numbed by violence, fueled by silence and averted eyes.

It was only after moving to France as an adult that I fully grasped the scale of this brutality. Ashamed, I felt an urgent need to understand. I began gathering information —  videos, testimonies, documentaries, articles, books. Little by little, I drowned in the sorrow of these stories, each more painful than the last. The justification of a structurally misogynistic society, combined with a corrupt system, was no longer enough for me. I needed to go deeper, to try to make sense of it.

Who are these women? Who took them — and why? What happened to them? Where are they now? I became obsessed with finding the pattern, the structure, the antidote that could offer protection against this violence. But I found no precise formula, no logical explanation. And so, my relationship with Mexico changed. The place that had once been my safe space became tinged with danger. I suddenly felt the omnipresence of this terror. Walking the streets of Mexico City, I carried these stories with me, haunted by the horrors of their outcome. So, I felt the need and the urge to express these feelings. This film is my refusal to become used to this fear — it’s my way of channeling anger and transforming it into words and images.

Did it reflect similar experiences from family and friends?

This is a deeply complex and difficult subject, which is why I chose to approach it in a personal way. I draw inspiration from my own experiences, my own story. The relationship between my characters, Olivia and the Pretty Young Girl, reflects my own connection to the girls who have disappeared. To this day, I do not know any of them personally — yet their stories affect me profoundly.

In a way, the Pretty Young Girl represents all the women who have suffered violence. I chose to tell her story through Olivia’s perspective, as she grows up unaware of the brutal reality around her. Olivia whispers her childhood memories to us, until the moment that abruptly shatters her world. Olivia embodies all those women who are still alive but who live in fear.

Can you talk about the unique visual style of the short?

Through the images, I wanted to portray another side of Mexico — the one from my childhood — which stands in stark contrast to the themes explored in the film. Mexico is also a warm place, full of life, color, gentleness and kindness. I sought to recreate this joyful atmosphere in the scenes from the past, when Olivia is still a child, unaware of the violence around her.

To visually distinguish between time periods, the present-day scenes were crafted in shades of gray. The black and white tones evoke a melancholic atmosphere, symbolizing Olivia’s loss of innocence. Once she becomes aware of the danger, her perception of her own country darkens — it has lost its colors.

Which animation tools did you use and how long did it take to make?

The most important thing for me was the story I wanted to tell. That’s why, during the writing process, the film’s aesthetic initially took a backseat. However, once the screenplay was finalized, I realized I had envisioned scenes with extremely delicate and precise movements. I decided to animate my characters in 2D using TVPaint, which allowed me to achieve fluid and detailed animation, capturing the characters’ sensitivity more precisely and subtly — through their movements, gazes, and expressions.

We also used Photoshop for the backgrounds, After Effects for compositing and Premiere Pro for editing. But ultimately, the most important thing isn’t the tools you use — it’s the power of the story you’re trying to tell and the emotions you aim to convey.

How many people worked on it with you?

The entire team behind Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado consisted of 35 people. Thirteen of us worked on the visuals — from layout to color correction, including animation, backgrounds, colorization, and compositing. We had seven people for the voices, seven for the music and four dedicated to sound. Additionally, four people were involved in production.

I want to take a moment to thank every single member of this team. This film wouldn’t exist without their incredible work and dedication — so thank you, all!

How was the whole crazy Sundance experience for you?

This is my first film, and Sundance was my first experience presenting it at a festival. I’ll admit I felt a bit overwhelmed at times, but the audience’s response was very moving and positive.

Sharing the screen with such hardworking and talented filmmakers — who I can now call friends — has been an immense privilege and a wonderful way to begin this film’s journey. Braving the cold was absolutely worth it; I came home with my heart full of inspiration and ambition to tell more stories!

Who are your big animation heroes and inspirations?

I cannot choose, it’s too difficult!

When did you know you wanted to work in animation?

I have been a storyteller for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would create stories in my head every night before falling asleep. But it wasn’t until I entered art school in Paris that filmmaking became a real possibility for me. That’s when animation entered my life, opening up a limitless world of pure creation. Once I realized I could make films on my own, in the corner of my room, without needing a million-dollar budget, I was hooked.

Best advice for up and coming animation directors?

This applies to anyone undertaking a creative project, and it’s something I try to keep in mind as much as possible: Each of us exists as we are only once in the history of the planet. Our inspiration and our way of interpreting the world are entirely unique. The things that move us, and what we create from that inspiration, can only exist through our own creativity. Rushing or comparing ourselves to other artists is pointless. The world needs your talent — don’t keep it to yourself. And for animation: Patience! Great things take time.

What do you hope audiences will take home from your short?

To answer this question, I’ll quote the one and only David Lynch: “As soon as you finish a film, people want you to talk about it. And it’s, um … The film is the talking.” I could tell you my intentions behind the film — what I’m trying to say or what I’d like you to take away from it — but for me, film is a space for reflection, and that process belongs to the viewer. We are all so different that what you feel while watching this film, and the way certain scenes stay with you, will be entirely personal. And whatever that is — that’s what I want you to take home.

Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado has been selected for a number of upcoming international film and animation festivals around the world in 2025, including Animation Dingle (Ireland), Aspen Shortsfest, FICG (Mexico), Anima (Belgium) as well as the recently concluded Clermont-Ferrand (France) and Sundance. Learn more at the website for producer XBO Films, xbofilms.com.