The recent success of titles such as Robot Dreams (Pablo Berger, 2023), Ice Merchants (João Gonzalez, 2022), Bestia (Hugo Covarrubias, 2021), and The Windshield Wiper (Alberto Mielgo, 2021) can be seen as a perfect example of the growth experienced by Ibero-American animation in recent years. It should also be considered the strongest evidence of the importance of an event that has revolutionised the industry across the intercontinental region: the Quirino Awards.
“Born out of the necessity of recognising the talent of the Ibero-American animation industry, generating links and networks between both sides of the ocean,” and named in honour of Quirino Cristiani, the Italo-Argentine credited as the director of the first animated feature film, El Apóstol (1917), the event is more than an awards ceremony. It is a complex ecosystem that each year hosts the Co-Production and Business Forum, an International Meeting of TV Channels, and the roundtable Women in Ibero-American Animation.
Leadership and Innovation: Highlights of the 2025 Edition
The Quirino Awards 2025 marked the debut of Silvina Cornillón as its first Latin American director. Her appointment is more than just a recognition of the career of one of the most prominent specialists in Ibero-American animation across the region, as evidenced by her time leading the Animation Department at Argentina’s National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA), and her role as coordinator of the Animation! section at Ventana Sur.
During the closing ceremony, Cornillón thanked the organisation for the opportunity saying lightheartedly, “I’ve been given the keys to a Ferrari”.
Her designation is also a deliberate effort to unite territories in the Americas and Europe to move forward together toward consolidation as a single bloc.
It’s a moment of transition. A time to fully recognise where we stand and understand how we can continue to strengthen Ibero-American animation without the event losing its DNA, which has to do with the closeness and that very special format that all its participants highlight. The challenge is how this event continues to grow and expand without losing that unique quality.
It also marked the launch of the Futures Lab, described by the organization as “a space for collective intelligence where professionals, institutions, and experts in animation and other sectors work together to explore future scenarios, identify challenges and opportunities, and design innovative models of cooperation.”
The meeting was one of the highlights of this year’s edition. Participants were divided into three working groups, each focused on discussing the past, present, and future of Ibero-American animation. The initial goal is to bring the findings to the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, MONDIACULT 2025. However, the overwhelmingly positive response has already led to the launch of the Quirino Lab, set to take place in November 2025, which aims to “shed light on the issues that matter most to Ibero-American executive producers.”
Also, the Co-Production and Business Forum brought together over 250 professionals from more than 30 countries and hosted more than 1,300 scheduled meetings aimed at fostering co-production, development, and the global circulation of animated works and projects. Among the more than 120 companies registered were production companies, distributors, sales agencies, TV channels, and streaming platforms.
A Night of Reflection and Recognition
The Quirino Awards ceremony also revealed significant trends within Ibero-American animation. Perhaps the most powerful were the displays of empathy and solidarity within the industry toward migrants and refugees around the world, reflected in the wins of titles such as Adiós (José Prats), The Capybaras (Alfredo Soderguit), and especially Black Butterflies. The director of the latter, David Baute, used his acceptance speech to remind everyone that all countries in the region have experienced both sides of migration and called for the creation of “a more livable world for all.” His words were met with resounding applause from the audience.
The event also brought an unusual occurrence in the world of audiovisual awards: a commissioned film leading the list of winners. The beautiful anomaly was more than justified by the outstanding quality of 47 (Paulo García, Natalia Gouvea), whose powerful celebration of tolerance toward people with Down syndrome highlighted the immense value of these productions.
