The first trailer for Donkey Princess, the latest feature from acclaimed Chilean filmmaking duo Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña, has been unveiled ahead of the film’s world premiere at the 79th Locarno Film Festival. The fantasy drama will screen in the festival’s International Competition on August 7, introducing audiences to the directors’ latest exploration of surreal, genre-defying storytelling.
Set in a fairy-tale kingdom where love has been outlawed, Donkey Princess follows Princess Diana, whose father, King Arthur, bans all expressions of love following the death of her mother. At the age of 15, Diana falls in love with Lalo, a young man from a neighbouring kingdom. After the King discovers their relationship and banishes Lalo, Diana embarks on a journey across parallel worlds using a magical bracelet in an attempt to reunite with him.
León and Cociña describe the film as their own reinterpretation of fantasy cinema. In a director’s statement, they explain that each new world Diana enters transforms the film into a different genre, creating a constantly evolving cinematic experience. The filmmakers note that the project continues themes explored throughout their previous work, including The Wolf House, The Hyperboreans, and several short films, where dreams and nightmares shape worlds that are continually built, transformed and dismantled.
The cast is led by Antonia Giesen as Princess Diana, alongside Andrew Bargsted and Francisco Melo. Bargsted is best known for his acclaimed performance in You’ll Never Be Alone and has also appeared in Bad Influence and Burning Patience. Veteran actor and producer Francisco Melo has worked extensively across Chilean film and television since the early 1990s.
Donkey Princess marks the third feature directed by León and Cociña following their internationally acclaimed stop-motion debut The Wolf House and The Hyperboreans, which premiered in Directors’ Fortnight at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The filmmaking duo are known for combining live action with animation and have also collaborated with filmmaker Ari Aster. The screenplay was co-written by Alejandra Moffat, Cristóbal León, and Joaquín Cociña, with cinematography by Benjamín Echazarreta and editing by Soledad Salfate, María Salazar, and the directors themselves.
International sales rights have been acquired by Bendita Film Sales, the Tenerife-based company that also represented The Hyperboreans, continuing its collaboration with the Chilean filmmakers.
The 79th Locarno Film Festival runs from August 5 to 15, presenting 233 films from 69 countries, including 103 world premieres. Under the artistic direction of Giona A. Nazzaro, this year’s International Competition features works from filmmakers including Hong Sang-soo and Denis Côté, with Donkey Princess joining one of the festival’s most closely watched sections.
With its first trailer now released and its world premiere approaching, Donkey Princess continues the creative evolution of Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña’s distinctive filmmaking style. The Locarno debut will mark the first public screening of a project that further expands the duo’s blend of fantasy, live action and animation while introducing international audiences to their latest cinematic experiment.
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