Blab Entertainment
Brave Cat: Chilean Studio Punkrobots First Feature Explores Human Rights Through a Hand-Made Animation
When a Chilean studio that once captured an Oscar‑winning short now steps onto the world stage with a hand‑made feature, the world of animation takes a new turn.
Punkrobot, the Santiago‑based studio that earned an Academy Award in 2016 for the short Bear Story, has released its first feature‑length film, Brave Cat. The movie premiered in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s 2026 Annecy Presents section and is distributed internationally by Indie Sales.
Brave Cat follows Kona, a young forest cat who sets out to find her mother after she is taken by hunting dogs working for a traveling circus. Along the way she is joined by Colin, an abandoned puppy, and an aging circus bear. The story is set in a stylised version of Patagonia, a region that director Gabriel Osorio Vargas has described as a “hand‑made CG world” created through 3D scanning of real objects and hand‑painted textures.
The film’s thematic core is not a historical drama but a broader meditation on human rights. Osorio has said that while Bear Story focused on exile, Brave Cat tells the story of those left behind. He explained that the narrative is “not fundamentally about Chile” but about “human rights.” The director’s notes state that the film revolves around two questions: what it takes to forgive and whether the unforgivable can be forgiven.
Osorio’s personal connection to the subject matter stems from his grandfather, Leopoldo Osorio, who was imprisoned and exiled during Chile’s military dictatorship. In interviews, Osorio has recounted conversations with his grandfather and with the child of a disappeared detainee, which shaped the film’s exploration of forgiveness and accountability.
Visually, Brave Cat departs from conventional CG animation. The studio built physical sets and objects, scanned them, and then refined the assets digitally. Osorio has noted that the film “doesn’t look CG” in the traditional sense, because it retains imperfections such as masking tape and hand‑painted details. The result is a hybrid aesthetic that resembles stop‑motion craftsmanship more than high‑end computer graphics.
The music, contributed by Brazilian singer‑songwriter Fernando Milagres, reinforces the film’s emotional tone. Milagres’ folk style, described by Osorio as “very indie,” aligns with the studio’s own approach of doing “the same thing in music that we’re doing in animation.”
Brave Cat also marks a significant milestone for Punkrobot, which has grown from a small group of friends into one of Latin America’s most internationally recognized animation studios. The studio’s previous work includes the Oscar‑winning short Bear Story and a segment of Disney’s Star Wars: Visions.
The film’s release at Annecy places it alongside other high‑profile animated features, and the festival’s 2026 lineup has been noted for its record attendance. While the film’s setting is distinctly Chilean, Osorio hopes that audiences worldwide will see the story’s relevance to contemporary discussions about violence, family separation, and the importance of human rights.
Brave Cat is scheduled for a wider theatrical release in 2026, with plans for distribution on streaming platforms to follow. The film’s production, which began seven years ago, faced funding challenges, but the studio’s perseverance has brought a unique, handcrafted animation to international audiences.
The film’s premiere at Annecy signals a new chapter for Chilean animation, demonstrating that a small studio can produce a feature that combines personal history, social commentary, and a distinctive visual style.
Punkrobot, the Santiago‑based studio that earned an Academy Award in 2016 for the short Bear Story, has released its first feature‑length film, Brave Cat. The movie premiered in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s 2026 Annecy Presents section and is distributed internationally by Indie Sales.
Brave Cat follows Kona, a young forest cat who sets out to find her mother after she is taken by hunting dogs working for a traveling circus. Along the way she is joined by Colin, an abandoned puppy, and an aging circus bear. The story is set in a stylised version of Patagonia, a region that director Gabriel Osorio Vargas has described as a “hand‑made CG world” created through 3D scanning of real objects and hand‑painted textures.
The film’s thematic core is not a historical drama but a broader meditation on human rights. Osorio has said that while Bear Story focused on exile, Brave Cat tells the story of those left behind. He explained that the narrative is “not fundamentally about Chile” but about “human rights.” The director’s notes state that the film revolves around two questions: what it takes to forgive and whether the unforgivable can be forgiven.
Osorio’s personal connection to the subject matter stems from his grandfather, Leopoldo Osorio, who was imprisoned and exiled during Chile’s military dictatorship. In interviews, Osorio has recounted conversations with his grandfather and with the child of a disappeared detainee, which shaped the film’s exploration of forgiveness and accountability.
Visually, Brave Cat departs from conventional CG animation. The studio built physical sets and objects, scanned them, and then refined the assets digitally. Osorio has noted that the film “doesn’t look CG” in the traditional sense, because it retains imperfections such as masking tape and hand‑painted details. The result is a hybrid aesthetic that resembles stop‑motion craftsmanship more than high‑end computer graphics.
The music, contributed by Brazilian singer‑songwriter Fernando Milagres, reinforces the film’s emotional tone. Milagres’ folk style, described by Osorio as “very indie,” aligns with the studio’s own approach of doing “the same thing in music that we’re doing in animation.”
Brave Cat also marks a significant milestone for Punkrobot, which has grown from a small group of friends into one of Latin America’s most internationally recognized animation studios. The studio’s previous work includes the Oscar‑winning short Bear Story and a segment of Disney’s Star Wars: Visions.
The film’s release at Annecy places it alongside other high‑profile animated features, and the festival’s 2026 lineup has been noted for its record attendance. While the film’s setting is distinctly Chilean, Osorio hopes that audiences worldwide will see the story’s relevance to contemporary discussions about violence, family separation, and the importance of human rights.
Brave Cat is scheduled for a wider theatrical release in 2026, with plans for distribution on streaming platforms to follow. The film’s production, which began seven years ago, faced funding challenges, but the studio’s perseverance has brought a unique, handcrafted animation to international audiences.
The film’s premiere at Annecy signals a new chapter for Chilean animation, demonstrating that a small studio can produce a feature that combines personal history, social commentary, and a distinctive visual style.
