Sep 12, 2023

Hugo Covarrubias- Stop Motion Short "Bestia" Available Online for Free

Bestia, an Academy Award-nominated short film by self-taught Chilean animator Hugo Covarrubias, is now available online.

Bestia is a disturbing stop-motion portrait of Ingrid Alderek, known in Chile as the "Dog Woman," who worked for the Carabineros de Chile, Chile's national law enforcement agency during Agosto Pinochet's brutal dictatorship.

In real life, Alderek was in charge of interrogating female suspects and prisoners, often using dogs to torture them; in the fictionalized version of her story in Bestia, the woman develops a disturbing relationship with one of the dogs in her care.

Alderec's doll in "Bestia" looks like a shiny porcelain doll, and her shiny makeup makes her more uncomfortable when contrasted with the almost plush dog she uses for her corrupt work. The film has no dialogue or music, and its minimalist sound effects serve to heighten the viewer's sense of immersion and disquiet.

"Bestia" was one of the most acclaimed animated shorts of 2021-2022 and was nominated for an Academy Award, as well as the Best Animated Short at Annies, the Festival Connection Award at Annecy, the Clermont-Ferrand International Competition, Audience Award at SXSW, Grand Prix at Stuttgart International Short Film Festival, Best Short Film (Golden Firebird) at Hong Kong International Short Film Festival, Best Latin American Short Film at Chirimonos International Short Film Festival, Best Short Film at Guadalajara International Short Film Festival, Best Animated Short at Buchuan International Short Film Festival, Best Short Film at Guadalajara International Short Film Festival, Best Animated Short at Annecy, Best Short Film at Annecy, Best Short Film at SXSW, and Best Short Film at SXSW. Best Short Award, Guadalajara International Short Film Festival, Best Animation Award, Fuchuan International Short Film Festival, Best Animation Award, Berlin International Short Film Festival, Best Animation Award, Tallinn International Short Film Festival, and many other awards.

The film was produced by Trébol 3 Producciones and Maleza Estudio and animated by Covarrubias and Matias Delgado. Covarrubias co-wrote the script with Martín Erazo.