Sixteen-year-old Claudia is devastated by her mother’s death. She performs an Andean ritual, hoping it will bring her mother back. She willingly makes a deal: her soul for her mom’s. However, she is forced to confront her situation through three stages. Pulled into another dimension, she must complete four stages to earn her freedom.

Writer and Director Sandra Powers drew inspiration for this animation from her own grief. Together with her team, Powers delivers an engaging animated story in just eight minutes. This film is in Spanish with English subtitles burned in. The four-stage journey is a metaphor for the grieving process, each challenge forcing Claudia to confront her emotions. Being a fantasy horror, this animation is perfect for Halloween. With a satisfying end, it explores themes of loss, acceptance, and misplaced anger. It holds viewers’ attention from start to finish.

Claudia’s grief and desire to reconnect with her mother make her emotional journey feel real and authentic. It defines all her decisions, including her willingness to sacrifice her own soul. This emotional motivation gives weight to the animation’s supernatural premise. The character used to represent the Beast of Death complements the animation’s aesthetic. I highly recommend this animation; it portrays grief for what it truly is. Clouding our judgment in a way that we don’t appreciate those we have, but hoping the one that left may return, hoping for a semblance of normalcy.

Link to watch it.

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