For Colombian rising animation talent María Cristina Pérez, whose experimental short “Once in a Body” (“Una vez en un Cuerpo”) competed in the Annecy Animation Festival’s Perspectives sidebar, human connection is the overriding theme in her growing body of work.

This is her fourth short, which she dedicates to her sister. “The story portrayed in the short film, about the protagonist as a child and her sister as a teen, is entirely fictional,” she stresses. “It brings together a number of anecdotes and experiences – some of my own, others from people close to me who have gone through similar situations – but the story itself is a work of fiction,” she tells Variety.

Using oil on paper in traditional 2D animation, the 10-minute experimental drama centers on a heavy-set woman who floats and morphs across the screen as her voiceover relates the traumatic experience she shares with her sister. She is also coping with a strange being that lives inside her as she seeks to reconcile with her sibling over the incident in their youth.

The short is not only a love letter to a sister, but above all, to intimacy, loss and feminine fragility as seen through the body, she says.

“I kept reflecting on how the body affects us but is also shaped by everything we experience, almost as if it had a life and will of its own that we must learn to accept. Somehow, I connected the idea of the mind and body pulling in opposite directions with the persistence of certain feelings, even in the midst of that dissonance,” she declares in her director’s statement.

Pérez is now developing her first animated feature film titled “My Dad the Truck,” which she hopes to premiere in 2028. “It tells the story of a fractured relationship between a father and his daughter, and how, through a journey they undertake together from the countryside to the city, they gradually rebuild the bond between them.”

Reflecting on her time at Annecy where “Once in a Body” also vied for the Audience Award, she says: “My experience at Annecy is always incredibly rewarding. It’s also an invaluable opportunity to reconnect with the Latin American animation community, as well as colleagues from the global animation industry.”

About Colombia’s animation industry, she notes that “Colombian animation is indeed a young industry, but one that is growing and maturing at a remarkable pace. In recent years, I believe the most exciting developments have taken place in the short film format, allowing for bold explorations of themes through increasingly personal perspectives, alongside aesthetic approaches that reflect a strong desire to experiment with both form and content.”

“We are also seeing a much broader range of academic programs dedicated to animation, as well as the consolidation of more production companies across the country. Together, these developments have fostered a unique and deeply sensitive animation scene that will continue to strengthen Colombia’s presence on the international stage,” she adds.

However, there are still some hurdles to surmount, particularly financing. She points to the fact that Colombia offers a wide range of funding programs that are essential to sustaining the audiovisual ecosystem, but still do not suffice to fully support animated productions.

“Unlike live-action filmmaking, animation requires considerably more time and a larger, more specialized team. As a result, filmmakers are often forced to compromise on creative decisions or, in some cases, are unable to complete their projects.”

“Once in a Body” is produced by Pez Dorado Animaciones in co-production with Cartuna.

The Annecy Animation Festival took place over June 21-27.