Visions from Another Galaxy: Oscar-winning Latin American animation studio ventures into “Star Wars”

Star Wars it’s more than the Skywalkers and there’s a vast galaxy to explore, something franchise owners at Disney have learned thanks to the lukewarm reception to the sequels and the huge success of shows like “The Mandalorian” and “Andor.” In these attempts to expand the saga, “Visions” falls, an animated series that premiered its second season on May 4.

Produced in an anthology format, the Disney+ series tells short stories set throughout the entire Star Wars timeline, its protagonists usually being Jedi and Sith, but also telling stories with more ‘humble’ protagonists such as droids, slaves, members of the Rebellion and other characters who usually do not have the spotlight in the big shows that are the space operetta movies.

The first season of the series also served to explore the Japanese influence of Star Wars, whose first film was partially inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s samurai film “The Hidden Fortress.” Thus, Lucasfilm recruited prestigious Japanese animation studios such as Production IG, Trigger and Studio Colorido, among others. The second expands the scope by working with creators from countries around the world such as Spain, Ireland, South Korea, India, South Africa and, of course, Latin America through the Chilean studio Punkrobot, winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film of 2016 for “Bear Story”.

Her short, titled “En las estrellas”, tells a story of two sisters who are the last survivors of a planet that has been occupied by the Galactic Empire for its natural resources. In conversation with El Comercio, Gabriel Osorio, the director and writer of the short film, told us how he came to this story.

“It was very complex at the beginning because they gave us an open invitation to tell any story and one has thousands of ideas, but in the end what we decided was to think about what element of Star Wars we felt was our own, with which we identifiedOsorio said. “Then everything that is the narrative about colonization in Star Wars entered, because finally the Empire that reaches all the planets. ”.

While all of the animation in “Star Wars: Visions” is interesting, presenting excellent samples of 2D and 3D work, the one presented by Punkrobot is particularly striking and confuses the viewer at first glance as to whether it is really computer animation or a elaborate use of the traditional ‘stop-motion’ technique. Gabriel Osorio revealed to us that it was a mixture of both, as they were physical models that were later digitized, giving their characters a rustic appearance.

“Finally everything is digital, but it comes from something handmade that feels analog“, considered. “”

This combination of techniques, which Osorio describes as an evolution of those used for “Historia de un oso”, serves not only as a cover letter, but also as part of Punkrobot’s identity as a Latin American studio. “Taking what we like the most from each technique and combining it is a process that is very typical of our region, in which we are cultures influenced by different sides that thus generate their own identity.“, he claimed.

In this regard, he considered that the triumph of his study should not be seen only as Chilean, but as part of the evolution of this still nascent industry in Latin America. “”, he pointed out. “I think that somehow we are growing together, learning from each other..”

Her advice for telling stories that resonate across the galaxy? “What I like most about Latin America is the authenticity of its history and I think we should continue seeking to tell our own stories to show that to the world.”.