La maquina que escupe monstruos y la chica de mis sueños

The project was born from a simple desire: to make the kind of movie they themselves wanted to see —one that broke away from traditional Argentine aesthetics. Both filmmakers are passionate about animation and deeply admire directors who incorporate animation logic into live-action cinema, such as Terry Gilliam, Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson, and Tim Burton. This influence became the foundation of the film’s identity: a live-action feature governed by cartoon logic.

The film is filled with references to South Park, Tex Avery, Hanna-Barbera, The Simpsons, and Richard Williams. At the same time, both Labat and Ross are avid fans of science fiction and B-movies, so the film became a playful and chaotic fusion of all these influences.

They shot the movie on a Canon 7D, simply because it offered the best image quality within their limited budget —and visually, the results surpassed expectations. The filmmakers openly reject realism, particularly the naturalistic style often associated with Argentine cinema. Their goal was to create a world entirely driven by animated logic and visual absurdity.

The shoot lasted 22 days, and the film was produced on an ultra-low budget —around $5,000 USD. From the start, they committed to writing, shooting, and releasing the film o nline within the span of a year —and they succeeded. Many people contributed along the way, offering services, time, or donations through the film’s website. But the bulk of the budget came directly from their own pockets.

According to Labat and Ross (the filmmakers), the Internet has fundamentally changed how we experience cinema. Musicians, they note, have embraced digital platforms, but filmmakers are often more resistant. Yet audiences are already consuming movies on their computers and mobile devices —streaming, downloading, and sharing content freely. Instead of fighting that trend, they believe filmmakers should embrace it.

For them, the internet is not a threat but a tool —one that democratizes film distribution and allows creators to reach global audiences on their own terms. Their primary goal was, and remains, simple: to have their film seen, by as many people as possible. In their view, the future of cinema lies in understanding —and leveraging— the creative freedom and reach that the internet provides.