Six minutes to blur the line between life, death, and your tears.
Dia de los Muertos is a film that captures the beauty, mystery and sacredness of the ancient Meso-American holiday that honors and remembers those who have died. Combining stop-motion animation and sets with computer generated characters, backgrounds and effects creates a richly layered world that blurs the boundaries separating the living from the dead. Dynamic camera angles and lively music enhance the subtle, stylized performances of the living characters and the frenzied action of the spirits.
Direction
Kirk Kelley packs a lifetime of emotion into six minutes.
Cinematography
Hybrid stop-motion/CGI creates genuinely otherworldly depth.
Production
Every frame honors the ritual's visual complexity.
Director
Kirk Kelley
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released in 2002, this predates Pixar's Coco by 15 years and represents rare mainstream animation centering authentic Meso-American ritual rather than tourist aesthetics.
Director Kirk Kelley came from commercial animation; this passion project was his bridge into personal filmmaking, shot at Will Vinton Studios.
US
