Tec short against differences wins multiple international awards

A blue kitten and a sepia rabbit: two different worlds brought together by the promise that our differences can be transformed into color.

Azulesepia was created with this premise. The 2D animated short film produced at La Milpa Studio, Tec de Monterrey's animation studio, has won awards on three continents and is preparing to compete for Mexican cinema's most prestigious prize: the 2026 Ariel Award.

"The Ariel was a dream that seemed far off. For a university project to be on the list means that the voice of our students is now being heard by the Mexican film industry', said Juan Manuel Pavón, art director and professor.

The short film addresses one of UNICEF's priority issues: childhood racism.

"That's kind of the idea: to talk about differences and moments of discrimination using a message that anyone can understand, regardless of age", explained Rolando "Rolo" Palacios, professor of Digital Art and general producer.

For professor and art director Juan Manuel "Juanma" Pavón, the story has personal significance:

"I have two children who are the same age as the characters. These issues are important because we continue to see rejection in schools, at the park, in the gym, and at the shopping mall".

More than 50 students and Tec alumni, along with 10 to 15 professors and external partners from the Mexico City, Santa Fe and State of Mexico campuses, participated in the production, directed by Luis Manuel Villarreal, a Mexican animator with an international career.

In addition to the digital animation, the team created 3D-printed figures for exhibits, supervised by Samuel Olmedo, which allowed the project to go beyond the screen and become a tangible experience.

Since its premiere in 2024, Azulesepia has toured festivals in India, Italy, Greece, the United States, and Mexico, winning awards such as:

"When you begin to see national and international festivals selecting it, nominating it, and awarding it, you realize that it represents international quality. That is the goal of La Milpa.

"The students who participated were high-achieving students who were not participating for a grade, but for the pleasure of being involved in a project that aspired to be in festivals", added "Rolo" Palacios.

Azulesepia's impact goes beyond awards. For Jorge Mario Montesinos, director of the Digital Art program in Mexico City, the real achievement comes from what the project gave to those who made it:

"La Milpa is a great opportunity because it allows students to have a pipeline into the industry and gives opportunities to work as a team and to perform the different roles needed for an animation production".

The message for those who dream of making animated films is clear:

"Don't over think it, just take the plunge. It's a leap of faith. You have to believe in yourself and believe that your voice is something worth listening to", concluded Juanma Pavón.

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