Animating History at a Cellular Level

Abstract

FQ columnist Manuel Betancourt, whose mother ran an animation studio in Colombia, reflects upon the diversity of contemporary Latin American animated production. Unlike in America, where animation has long been misunderstood as child’s play, an ever-growing network of Latin American creators refuse to see animation as beholden to family-friendly fare. Noting the didactic potential of this malleable medium, which is being used to educate children about everything from the Spanish conquest to modern-day environmental issues, Betancourt also calls attention to a growing animated canon bringing Indigenous traditions into the twenty-first century.