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Moi and the Sea
Español
Animated Short Film • Panama • 5 minutes
Status: In development — Seeking co-production, distribution, and animation support
Logline
Moi, a child torn between his grandmother's Catholic faith and his mother's Santería, finds refuge in the sea where an oneiric universe reveals that he doesn't need to choose to find the sacred.
Short Synopsis
Moi, twelve years old, lives between two spiritual universes: he accompanies his grandmother to mass and tends to the altars of his Santería mother. On a significant day for both women, the pressure to choose who to be with overwhelms him. Upon diving into the sea, he traverses a fantastic world where people from his community appear transformed into submerged sacred figures. There, he understands that all beliefs seek the same thing: to honor life. Moi embraces his duality and finds harmony in the union of both worlds.
Visual Style and Artistic Approach
The short film combines mixed media, stop-motion, and 2D digital animation, creating a universe where the handcrafted coexists with the digital.
- Symbolic Materiality: Characters are made of textures that represent their roots.
- Underwater Universe: Inspired by Almirante, Bocas del Toro, with fluid and oneiric transitions.
- Emotional Palette: Yellow (grandmother), red (mother), and orange (Moi), balanced by the blue of the sea.
- References: Ponyo, Luca, Regina Pessoa, Abi Feijó.
Themes and Message
The film explores spiritual identity, the coexistence of beliefs, and Panamanian cultural diversity. It proposes that "one world can contain many worlds" and that the sacred lives in nature, community, and family bonds.
Target Audience
Children aged 10 and up, families, and young audiences interested in cultural, sensitive, and spiritual stories.
Project Status
Currently in development and pre-production, with:
- Registered script and advanced conceptual dossier
- Defined artistic direction, aesthetics, and technical proposal
- Alliances with Cine Tamborito S.A. and letters of intent from the cast and crew
- Selection at Bogoshorts Film Market — Flipbook
Actively Seeking:
The project is open to international co-production, especially with 2D animation, stop-motion, or mixed-media studios; distribution for its festival circuit (target premiere: Annecy 2027); and animation support (layouts, composition, and VFX).
Main Team
| Role | Name |
| Directors | Grethel Guardia and Meylin Esquivel |
| Producers | Malakai Sanchez and Gilberto Lopez Fernandez |
| Screenwriter | Meylin Esquivel |
| Art Director | Martanoemí Noriega |
| Sound Director | Chantal Reina |
Production Details
| Detail | Information |
| Country | Panama |
| Duration | 5 min |
| Techniques | 2D animation + stop-motion + mixed media |
| Target Premiere | Annecy 2027 |
Contact
info@cinetamborito.com