Animation Costs More, But Travels Further

Filmmaker César Zelada explains that animated films cost significantly more to produce than live-action films in Peru, but are often easier to finance. Zelada discovered inspiration for his film “Kayara” while watching female long-distance runners in Peru, leading him to center the story around a young girl challenging traditional roles. The production of “Kayara” was a Peruvian-Spanish coproduction, with 40% of the work completed in Peru and 60% in Tenerife, Spain.

Creating an animated film can take around five years, encompassing writing, funding, and all stages of production, a timeline extended by the pandemic. Zelada’s previous film, “Ainbo,” cost 10 million dollars and earned nearly 15 million worldwide, though the production company did not benefit from those earnings due to the bankruptcy of its sales agent. “Kayara” cost roughly 7 million dollars and also faced distribution challenges when its American sales agent failed just before release.

Zelada notes that animation’s adaptability—easy dubbing into multiple languages—gives it a broader commercial reach than live-action films from Latin America, which often encounter barriers related to language and cultural recognition. Despite the higher costs, he finds animated films more viable due to their potential for global distribution and wider audience appeal, often starting with an English-language version.