LatinX in Animation (LXiA) announced today the recipients of the Spark Animation Grant for 2023: Alec Castillo, Danna Galeano and Sandra Suarez. With support from the Grant, each awardee will create and produce an original animated short film. Themes and subject matter of the proposed shorts range from death, time and destiny, to Trichotillomania and the relationship between two opposites, their dreams and responsibilities.
The Spark Animation Grant is designed to uplift the visibility, perspectives and imaginations of U.S.-based Latinx animation filmmakers. Returning for its second year with support from Netflix, this year’s program expanded to support three filmmakers, with an increased grant amount of $20,000 for each filmmaker. Netflix’s sponsorship of the LXiA Spark Grant builds on their partnership with the Latino Film Institute, and is part of Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, an effort to create more behind-the-camera opportunities for underrepresented communities within the TV and film industries.
“LXiA is excited to welcome the 2023 Spark Animation Grant Fellows with an incredibly talented group of animators and filmmakers, whose creative and fresh voices touch upon incredibly timely and personal stories. We can’t wait to see their short films come to life over the next year,” said Bryan Dimas, Co-Director of LatinX in Animation.
To ensure they’re set up for current and future success, the Spark Animation Grant fellows will be paired with an independent Producer, as well as an industry mentor, including creatives from Netflix. Fellows will also participate in a series of professional development sessions. LXiA Spark Animation Grant will support fellows over the course of 13 months, and will culminate in a special screening at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) in summer 2024.
Meet this year’s filmmakers:
Alec Castillo is a Cuban-American animator and comedian, originally from Miami and currently based in Los Angeles. Some of his past work has been featured on Adult Swim, Netflix, Mitú and FunnyOrDie.
Danna Galeano is a Colombian-born filmmaker and animator. As an animator for the Latino social media company, Mitú, she created the animated character Guacardo, which has since become a viral sensation. She has also worked at Republic Records and Sony Music, creating animated lyric videos for talent across the globe. She hopes through her work that she can bring a unique and heartfelt perspective that connects with audiences and inspires them to see the world in a new way.
Sandra Suarez is a Mexican-American stop motion animator and mixed-media artist living in Los Angeles, California. She strives to create stories that explore the messiness of life and encourage kindness to oneself and others. Her projects range from silly, wacky and weird to introspective and sincere.
