The animated feature film adaptation of Jessica Love’s celebrated children’s book, Julián Is a Mermaid, made its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Directed by Louise Bagnall and produced by the acclaimed Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon—known for previous works such as The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers, and The Breadwinner—the 85-minute film expands the minimalist narrative of the original 40-page text into a fully realized cinematic exploration of youth, identity, gender expression, and community belonging.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a summer in Brooklyn, the film traces the experiences of Julián, a young Dominican American boy, during an extended stay with his paternal grandmother, Abuela. The cinematic translation preserves the core thematic elements of Love’s 2018 literary work while integrating expanded plotlines, new supporting characters, and distinct visual motifs designed to reflect the protagonist’s rich interior life.
Narrative Arc and Character Development
The film opens with Julián, voiced by Knyght Darius Jack, embarking on a summer journey from his home with his father, Javi, played by Anthony Sardinha, to his grandmother’s Brooklyn residence. Abuela, portrayed by Milcania Diaz-Rojas, maintains a structured and traditional household, creating an immediate generational and behavioral adjustment period for the imaginative, high-energy child.
In the film’s first act, Julián engages in youthful antics that inadvertently create domestic chaos, establishing a dynamic that Bagnall uses to humanize both the child and his caregiver. The narrative expands significantly from the source material by introducing a local peer group: three neighborhood girls who are actively preparing their "mersonas" and crafting nautical costumes for the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade.
Conflict arises when Abuela and her peers observe Julián interacting with the girls through a traditional heteronormative lens. Misinterpreting his creative aspirations, Abuela attempts to modify his appearance with a short haircut intended to project conventional masculine ideals, resulting in emotional distress for the boy. When Julián expresses a desire to wear a vibrant, shimmering mermaid costume, Abuela initially attempts to enforce restrictive societal norms out of a protective instinct against potential social stigma, inadvertently making the child feel isolated.
Visual Artistry and Animation Style
In adapting the property, director Louise Bagnall deliberately moved away from the pervasive three-dimensional computer-generated imagery standard common in contemporary commercial animation. Instead, the visual language of Julián mimics the tactile textures of markers and crayons, honoring the protagonist’s passion for drawing.
The color palette of the Afro-Latino Brooklyn neighborhood is rendered in warm, saturated tones. Soft-edged character designs mirror Julián’s energetic and playful nature. During sequences depicting the child’s imagination, the animation transforms to feature soaring aquatic wildlife, floating sea creatures, and luminous celestial elements. Reviewers and industry analysts have noted visual and thematic echoes to established animated touchstones such as Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and Ponyo, Pixar’s Luca, and Cartoon Network’s Craig of the Creek, while maintaining a distinct artistic identity rooted in Cartoon Saloon’s hand-drawn tradition.
Thematic Resonance and Cultural Context
Julián enters a crowded theatrical landscape for animated features, joining high-profile intellectual property sequels and original animal-centric adventures released throughout the year. However, its specific focus on non-conforming gender expression among youth positions it within a growing subgenre of contemporary family entertainment that addresses themes of inclusivity without didactic exposition.
Rather than featuring explicit dialogue regarding identity labels, the film portrays Julián simply as a child navigating his passions. The narrative climax involves a dynamic sequence in which Julián runs away from home to participate in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, triggering a chase where Abuela rushes to find him and reconcile her protective fears with unconditional acceptance. The parade sequence itself features a diverse array of body types, vibrant hair colors, and queer-coded participants who offer immediate assistance and affirmation, highlighting the critical importance of community support networks for marginalized youth.
Production and Reception Background
The adaptation was developed by Cartoon Saloon, an animation studio that has garnered critical acclaim and multiple Academy Award nominations for its distinct, artisan-driven approach to feature-film production. The studio’s commitment to traditional and hand-rendered aesthetics has established it as a leading counterweight to major Hollywood CGI studios.
Following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, industry critics praised the film for its emotional depth, voice performances—particularly young Knyght Darius Jack—and its ability to translate a brief, minimalist picture book into a robust feature-length narrative without losing its delicate emotional core.
Broader Implications for the Animation Industry
The successful adaptation of Julián Is a Mermaid underscores a broader industry shift toward validating diverse literary properties for the big screen. By proving that quiet, character-driven stories centered on emotional intelligence and identity can sustain feature-length theatrical distribution, the film broadens the commercial viability of varied storytelling in mainstream animation.
As studios continue to evaluate slate options in an increasingly competitive market, the positive critical reception of Julián highlights an ongoing audience demand for thoughtful, visually distinctive narratives that champion empathy, generational understanding, and the affirmation of childhood self-expression.
