Mate on Mars.
Independent film production in Argentina offers a vital advantage for animation: creative freedom. While major studios tend to stick to safe formulas that imitate Disney or Pixar, independent short films allow artists to explore bold, personal ideas with a distinct voice. Viaje a Marte (Journet to Mars) is a prime example of this freedom in action.
The short was inspired by a real-life anecdote that the director reimagined as a fantastical tale: a boy travels to Mars in his grandfather's pickup truck. This premise not only challenged the team to tell a complete life story in just a few minutes but also played with the idea of suspended disbelief —an essential element in all dramatic storytelling.
Visually, Viaje a Marte was crafted with exceptional attention to detail. The character and set design were key to conveying the innocence of a child's perspective. The director and his partner, Silvina —who led the miniature work— focused on textures and colors that evoked the era in which the story is set. Latex foam was used for the characters’ bodies to speed up the animation process, while plasticine was retained for the faces and arms to preserve expressiveness. As the director explains, foam allows for quicker animation, whereas full-plasticine puppets require constant adjustments.
Though made with more passion than resources, the short stands out as a visually rich and emotionally resonant film. Its delicate treatment of childhood and fantasy strikes a chord with audiences. Despite the possibility of expanding it into a feature film, the director acknowledges that its success as a short makes it difficult to imagine a version that could match its impact.
The artistic influences behind Viaje a Marte are diverse, blending animation legends like Norman McLaren, Nick Park, and Hayao Miyazaki with filmmakers such as Kubrick, Terry Gilliam, and Fabián Bielinsky. This eclectic mix is reflected in a film that, though handmade and intimate, achieves remarkable depth —making it a landmark of Argentine animated short cinema.
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