The directors frame this as a bold artistic statement — their 'way of reimagining the history of fantasy cinema' — and landing in Locarno's main competition proves the festival sees it as serious art, not just animation.
Insiders are whispering that the Ari Aster connection is doing heavy lifting here. The horror maestro's collaborators going full fantasy has tongues wagging — will this be a twisted fairy tale or an avant-garde mess? The genre-hopping premise already has cinephiles divided.
The exclusive trailer dropped via Hollywood Reporter on August 3, 2026. 'Donkey Princess' is the third feature from León and Cociña, selected for the main competition at this year's Locarno Film Festival.
If this genre-mashing royal quest lands, it could be the breakout of Locarno — but with Ari Aster's fingerprints nearby, expect some dark detours.
The first footage from 'Donkey Princess' is officially out in the world. The exclusive trailer premiered through Hollywood Reporter on August 3, and if you're a fantasy head or an animation nerd, this one's about to be all over your timeline. Chilean directors Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña are behind it — the same duo who've been circling in Ari Aster's orbit as collaborators.
Here's the setup: a young royal travels through worlds — and film genres — in search of love. That's not just a logline, that's a dare. The directors themselves describe this third feature as their 'way of reimagining the history of fantasy cinema.' Big talk for two animators who've been quietly building a cult following with stop-motion work that doesn't exactly play nice with mainstream expectations.
The Locarno Film Festival clearly sees something here — they've slotted it into the main competition, which is a serious flex for an animated feature. And having Ari Aster's name attached as a collaborator only cranks up the intrigue. The guy behind 'Hereditary' and 'Midsommar' doesn't exactly scream whimsical fairy tales, so you have to wonder what kind of dark corners this princess might stumble into.
What we know for sure: this is León and Cociña's third feature, which means they've got a track record. But details on their previous films are thin in the trailer drop — no titles, no release dates, just this tantalizing glimpse at what could be either a masterpiece or a glorious trainwreck of genre-hopping ambition. The trailer itself is clearly designed to keep us guessing.
The 'search for love' angle sounds sweet enough, but with these filmmakers and that Ari Aster association, don't expect a straightforward princess story. If anything, the phrase 'reimagining the history of fantasy cinema' suggests they're coming for your childhood favorites — and maybe deconstructing them. All eyes are on Locarno now.
The festival runs in early August, so we won't have to wait long to see if this royal journey lives up to its own hype. One thing's certain: León and Cociña just made the most intriguing animated pitch of the season — and they're not playing it safe.
