Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, in collaboration with El Taller del Chucho and Martfilms, is joining forces with Spain’s Fasten Movies to create “Sira and the Secret of the Park.” This exciting animated feature is helmed by Goya-winning director Adrià garcía (“Nocturna”) alongside Ariel award-winning writer-director and actress Ángeles Cruz (“Nudo Mixteco”).
This Spanish-Mexican co-production, supported by ICEC, Creative Europe MEDIA, and ibermedia, artfully combines elements of fantasy and coming-of-age narratives. It aims to delve into themes of identity, generational memory, and ancestral folklore.
The story unfolds in a sprawling park within Barcelona where 12-year-old Sira lives in a quaint home nestled among the trees. Her life takes a magical turn when she discovers an enchanted necklace that transports her into a fantastical realm reflecting her emotional journey. As the boundaries between thes two worlds begin to blur, Sira must find her way through both realities to restore balance.
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“in ‘Sira,’ the park serves as an extension of the protagonist’s inner world,” García explained to Variety. “It’s not merely about escaping into another realm; it’s about making that realm meaningful—intertwined with who she is and what she experiences.”
The film will employ innovative hybrid animation techniques to illustrate this duality.
“Sira’s everyday environment—which feels rigid and structured—will be depicted using stop-motion animation for its tangible weight,” García elaborated. “Conversely, the magical sanctuary within the park will be illustrated through hand-drawn animation: organic, fluid, ever-changing. The interplay between these two styles will create a unique visual experience.”
The screenplay is penned by Cruz herself; her writing draws heavily from her Indigenous Mixtec heritage as well as personal mythology.
“The stories I craft are shaped by my own viewpoint—not something new but inherited from my grandmothers and my community,” Cruz shared.”That’s why I believe ‘Sira’ also narrates my journey—these legends that nurtured me as a child along with my nagual that protects me.”
Cruz’s viewpoint has been described by García as essential for this project: “Her deeply human vision brings sensitivity along with connections to both ancestral roots and magic that we truly need.”
The film originates from an original concept developed by Spanish author Aixa de la Cruz. The production team includes Adrià monés Murlans (“The End of It”) representing Fasten Movies; Claudia calviño (“yuli”) from Cuba; Martha Orozco (“Pornomelancholia”) for Martfilms; alongside Angélica Lares (who worked on Guillermo del Toro’s “pinocchio”) representing El Taller del Chucho.
“we view this project as producer-driven,” Lares stated. “When Adrià Monés approached Martha Orozco with this idea, she immediately reached out to me so we could start building Sira’s universe together. Our goal is to tell an emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale about a young girl finding her path while exploring a rich otherworld filled with mythical beings from our diverse cultures—a perfect fit for El Taller.” She expressed excitement about collaborating with Ángeles Cruz on giving voice to Sira’s character.
Currently under advancement, “Sira and the Secret of the Park” seeks additional international partners ahead of its planned production launch.