More than a week before its premiere at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, a new trailer has surfaced for Decorado (Decorated), the new 2D-animated feature from acclaimed Spanish helmer Alberto Vázquez. The director’s third feature project (following Birdboy: The Forgotten Children and Unicorn Wars), is an expansion of his Goya Award-winning 2016 short. The surreal feature centers on a middle-aged mouse who begins to suspect that his whole world is a set-up — a fake “scenery” run by the powerful, faceless corporation known as ALMA (Almighty Limitless Megacorporative Agency). You can look it as Mickey Mouse meets The Truman Show in Fleischer-town.
“I’ve always been interested in addressing contemporary themes through fantasy. Metaphor and storytelling allow us to narrate from a different perspective, offering new perspectives on reality,” Vázquez told RTVE in Spain. “Animals, not being tied to a specific time or place, belong to all cultures; they come from fables, classic tales, but also from the origins of comics and animation. That’s why they’re deeply rooted in our collective imagination and are understood anywhere in the world. Furthermore, animals are more beautiful than humans in every way.”
In an interview with Viñetas y bocadillos, Vazquez noted, “This feature is a loose adaptation of the short film. But it’s also a much larger and more complex story; and it has a completely different ending. It’s an existentialist fable about the meaning of life and the crises we face. And as in all my films, it stars anthropomorphic animals, which remind us a bit of the origins of comics and classic Disney, but which I use to address current issues.”
Decorado is produced by Iván Miñambres (Uniko) and Chelo Loureiro (Abano Producions), and is also produced by the Extremadura-based production company Glow and the Portugal’s Sardinha Em Lata. The film’s art director is José Luis Ágreda and animation director is by Pamela Poltronieri.
The film is making the animation festival rounds this fall, with screenings planned for the Sitges Fantastic Festival, Ottawa Intl. Animation Festival and L.A.’s Animation Is Film in store for the much-anticipated title. It will be released theatrically in Spain by Barton Films on Oct. 25.
