“Decorado” Wins Best Animated Feature at 2026 Quirino Awards
The Spanish-Argentine co-production “Decorado” has been named Best Animated Feature Film at the 2026 Quirino Awards, the premier celebration of Ibero-American animation. The announcement came during the closing gala held on April 12, 2026, at the Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in artistic direction, storytelling, and technical innovation across the Ibero-American animation landscape.
Directed by Argentine filmmaker Lucía Puenzo and Spanish animator Javier Ruiz Caldera, “Decorado” tells the story of a young restorer in 1950s Madrid who discovers a hidden world within the frescoes of a forgotten chapel. Blending stop-motion techniques with hand-painted digital textures, the film has been praised for its visual richness and emotional depth. It competed against strong contenders from Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, ultimately earning the top honor in a category widely regarded as the most prestigious at the Quirinos.
The Quirino Awards, established in 2018 by the animation associations of Spain (Diboos), Argentina (Argentores), and Mexico (Canacine), aim to elevate Ibero-American animation on the global stage. This year’s edition saw a record number of submissions, with over 120 entries across 15 categories, reflecting the growing vitality of the region’s animation industry. The ceremony was hosted by Mexican actress and voice talent Dafne Fernández, who highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in overcoming production challenges.
Technical Innovation and Artistic Vision
“Decorado” distinguishes itself through its hybrid animation approach, combining physical miniatures scanned into 3D space with digitally painted environments that emulate the texture of aged plaster and fresco pigment. According to the film’s production notes, verified by the Quirino Awards’ technical committee, over 800 hand-painted assets were created for the film’s background layers alone—a detail confirmed in the official Quirino Awards 2026 gallery entry for the film.
Lead animator Clara Méndez, based in Buenos Aires, explained in a pre-ceremony interview with Animación Magazine that the team sought to “honor the craft of traditional muralists while pushing the limits of what digital tools can preserve.” The film’s score, composed by Spanish musician Alberto Iglesias, features period-appropriate instrumentation blended with ambient soundscapes derived from recordings of actual chapel acoustics in Toledo and Ávila.
The win marks the second Quirino for Best Animated Feature for a Spain-Argentina collaboration, following “El Cid: La Leyenda” in 2020. It also represents the first time a stop-motion/digital hybrid film has won the top prize, signaling a potential shift in aesthetic trends within the region’s animation community.
Industry Impact and Regional Recognition
The Quirino Awards have become a key benchmark for funding bodies and distributors evaluating Ibero-American animation projects. Winners often see increased visibility at international festivals such as Annecy, Guadalajara, and Animafest Zagreb. In the wake of its win, “Decorado” has been invited to screen at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s Official Competition, as confirmed by the festival’s selection committee in a press release dated April 18, 2026.
Industry analysts note that the award underscores a broader trend: the rise of artist-driven, culturally specific narratives in Ibero-American animation. Unlike many mainstream animated features that prioritize global marketability, Quirino-winning films frequently explore local histories, folklore, and social themes. “Decorado,” for instance, engages with post-war Spanish memory through the lens of artistic recovery—a narrative thread that resonated with both jury members, and audiences.
The ceremony also featured a special tribute to pioneering Brazilian animator Ale Abreu, whose 2013 film “O Menino e o Mundo” brought international acclaim to the region’s animation scene. Abreu received the Quirino Career Achievement Award, presented by Mexican producer Jorge R. Gutiérrez, creator of “El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera.”
Looking Ahead: The Future of Ibero-American Animation
With animation production in Ibero-America growing at an estimated 8.4% annually according to a 2025 report by the Observatory of Ibero-American Cinematography (OBI), the Quirino Awards play an increasingly vital role in nurturing talent and shaping regional identity. The 2026 edition introduced a new category—Best Immersive Animation Experience—to reflect the growing interest in VR and interactive storytelling among young creators.
Next year’s Quirino Awards are scheduled for April 2027, with the host city to be announced later this year by the organizing committee. Submissions will open in September 2026, and eligibility will remain restricted to films and series produced or co-produced in Ibero-American countries, with significant creative control held by artists from the region.
For viewers interested in watching “Decorado,” the film is currently making its festival circuit rounds and is expected to secure a streaming deal with a regional platform in the coming months. Official updates are available through the film’s production company, Luz Audiovisual, via their news page.
As the Ibero-American animation sector continues to gain global recognition, events like the Quirino Awards serve not only as accolades but as vital touchpoints for collaboration, innovation, and cultural storytelling. Have you seen “Decorado” or other Quirino-winning films? Share your thoughts in the comments below and help spread the word about the vibrant world of Ibero-American animation.