Ninth Edition of the Quirino Ibero-American Animation Awards Announces Nominees Highlighting Regional Industry Growth

The organizational committee of the Quirino Ibero-American Animation Awards has officially unveiled the nominees for its ninth edition, signaling a period of robust creative output and international cooperation within the sector. A total of 27 animated works, representing seven different countries, will compete for the prestigious honors during the gala ceremony scheduled for April 17 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The announcement took place at the Instituto Cervantes in São Paulo, Brazil, a choice of venue that underscores the awards’ mission to foster integration across the 23 nations that comprise the Ibero-American region.

This year’s selection emerged from a competitive pool of 265 submissions, reflecting the sustained growth of the animation industry in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. The nominated works are vying for recognition across seven main categories: Best Feature Film, Best Series, Best Short Film, Best School Short Film, Best Commissioned Film, Best Video Game Animation, and Best Music Video. In addition to these primary awards, the Quirino Awards will recognize technical excellence in three specialized areas: Visual Development, Animation Design, and Sound Design and Original Music.

Geographic Dominance and Regional Trends

The 2026 nominations highlight the current leadership of the Iberian Peninsula in the global animation landscape. Spain leads the field with 11 nominations, followed closely by Portugal with seven. This dominance is attributed to a combination of increased public funding, a surge in high-quality co-production treaties, and the maturation of domestic studios that have successfully pivoted toward international markets.

In Latin America, Argentina and Brazil continue to be the primary engines of animated content, securing six and four nominations, respectively. Colombia and Mexico each earned two nominations, while Chile maintains its presence with one nominated work. Industry analysts note that while the number of nominated countries remains concentrated, the diversity of styles—ranging from traditional 2D and 3D CGI to artisanal stop-motion—indicates a healthy ecosystem capable of producing both commercial hits and experimental art-house cinema.

Competition in the Feature Film Category

The category for Best Feature Film features four distinct works that showcase the breadth of narrative ambition in modern animation. Spain is represented by two major titles. The first, Decorado, is the fourth feature film by acclaimed Galician director Alberto Vázquez. An existential satire, the film is a feature-length adaptation of his own short film, which previously won the Quirino Award for Best Short Film in 2018. Vázquez’s work is noted for its dark, philosophical undertones and unique visual aesthetic, often blending anthropomorphic characters with grim social commentary.

The second Spanish contender is Olivia y el terremoto invisible (Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake), directed by Irene Iborra. This stop-motion drama follows a 12-year-old girl navigating the emotional "quakes" of a collapsing family structure. The film has been praised for its sensitive handling of complex psychological themes and its meticulous craftsmanship in the stop-motion medium.

Brazil enters the race with Coração das Trevas (Heart of Darkness), the debut feature of Rogério Nunes. This ambitious project reinterprets Joseph Conrad’s classic novella, setting the narrative in a futuristic, dystopian Rio de Janeiro. The film’s inclusion highlights Brazil’s growing interest in adult-oriented science fiction animation.

Rounding out the category is Mexico’s Soy Frankelda (I am Frankelda), directed by Arturo and Roy Ambriz. This production marks a milestone as Mexico’s first stop-motion feature film. The Ambriz brothers are already established figures in the Quirino circuit, having won the Best Series award in 2022 for Sustos ocultos de Frankelda. The feature film has already demonstrated significant commercial viability, surpassing 800,000 viewers during its theatrical run in Mexico.

Television Series and the Evolution of Small Screen Content

The nominations for Best Series reflect a mix of established global franchises and innovative new IPs. Brazil’s Tainá e os Guardiões da Amazônia (Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians), directed by Natália Freitas, returns to the awards with its second season. Having won in this category in 2020, the series remains a flagship for Brazilian educational and environmental content.

Spain’s Pocoyó, a powerhouse in international preschool entertainment, is nominated for its sixth season. Directed by Guillermo García Carsí, the series has maintained its relevance over decades, evolving its animation quality while preserving the minimalist charm that made it a global phenomenon.

The category is completed by Colombia’s Hay algo detrás de ti (There is Something Behind You), directed by Julián Gómez Reyes, which utilizes a mysterious black cat to guide viewers through various suspenseful tales, and Mexico’s Mujeres con hombreras (Women with Shoulder Pads). Directed by Gonzalo Córdova, the latter is a stop-motion comedy aimed at adult audiences, set in the cultural milieu of 1980s Quito, Ecuador.

Excellence in Short Films and Technical Craft

Portugal has established a particularly strong foothold in the Best Short Film category. Porque Hoje é Sábado (Because Today is Saturday) by Alice Eça Guimarães arrives at the Quirino Awards after being selected for over 50 international festivals. It is joined by Cão Sozinho (Lonely Dog), directed by Marta Reis Andrade, which utilizes magical realism to explore themes of family reconnection and isolation.

From Spain, James A. Castillo’s El Fantasma de la Quinta (The Ghost of the Quinta) offers a horror-infused look at the final years of the painter Francisco de Goya, focusing on his internal demons and physical isolation. Argentina’s Luz Diabla (Devil Light), a psychological thriller co-directed by Gervasio Canda, Paula Boffo, and Patricio Plaza, explores supernatural forces within the Argentine pampa, continuing the country’s tradition of blending genre cinema with regional folklore.

The Adjudication Process and International Jury

The responsibility of selecting the winners falls to an international jury composed of five prominent figures from the global animation industry. The panel includes:

• Cesar Cabral (Brazil): An animator and director who won the 2022 Quirino Award for Best Feature for Bob Cuspe – Nós Não Gostamos de Gente.
• Moe Honan (Ireland): CEO of Moetion Films and a veteran producer of European co-productions.
• Marilyn Montano (Philippines): Executive Director of PlayLab Animation Studio, bringing a Southeast Asian perspective to the evaluation.
• Martha Sepúlveda (Colombia/USA): Senior Development Executive at CAKE Entertainment, specializing in international distribution and content strategy.
• Krešimir Zubčić (Croatia): Acquisitions and programming supervisor for animated content at HRT, the Croatian national broadcaster.

The diversity of the jury ensures that the nominated works are evaluated not only for their cultural relevance within the Ibero-American sphere but also for their potential for success in the global marketplace.

Historical Context and Economic Impact of the Quirino Awards

Founded in 2018, the Quirino Awards were named in honor of Quirino Cristiani, the Italian-Argentine director who created the world’s first two animated feature films: El Apóstol (1917) and Peludópolis (1931). By reclaiming this historical legacy, the awards seek to position Ibero-America as a cradle of animation innovation.

The choice of Tenerife as the permanent host is a strategic decision supported by the Cabildo de Tenerife, through Turismo de Tenerife and the Tenerife Film Commission. The Canary Islands have become a vital hub for the industry due to their aggressive tax incentives, which offer up to a 50% rebate for international productions. This has led to the establishment of numerous studios on the island, creating a permanent workforce of animators and technical staff.

Beyond the awards ceremony, the event hosts the Quirino Forum, a B2B co-production and business event that facilitates meetings between producers, distributors, and streaming platforms. In previous years, the forum has been instrumental in securing funding for projects that later achieved international acclaim.

Broader Implications for the Ibero-American Industry

The ninth edition of the Quirinos arrives at a time when Ibero-American animation is experiencing unprecedented visibility. Recent successes of regional films at the Oscars and major festivals like Annecy have proved that the "Ibero-American brand" is synonymous with high artistic quality and narrative depth.

However, challenges remain. The industry continues to grapple with the dominance of North American and Asian content on streaming platforms and the need for more cohesive distribution networks within the 23-country bloc. The Quirino Awards serve as a vital platform for addressing these issues, promoting co-productions that allow smaller nations to pool resources with larger industry players like Spain and Brazil.

As the industry prepares for the April 17 ceremony, the focus remains on how these 27 nominated works will influence the next generation of creators. The integration of traditional techniques like stop-motion with cutting-edge digital tools suggests an industry that is both respectful of its history and eager to define the future of the medium. The full list of nominees is currently available on the official Premios Quirino website, providing a comprehensive look at the talent currently shaping the region’s cultural exports.