holy and family war
People can speak freely during festive days as this film keeps its edge. Unicorn wars, an Official Fantàstic Competition and Anima’t selection, surprised audiences in Sitges this year. The story centers on Alberto Vazquez, the Galician illustrator and animation director who earned a Goya Award for Psychonauts, Forgotten Children in 2017. The film blends bold visuals with a sharp anti war, environmental, and feminist thread, delivering a narrative that unfolds on multiple levels beyond simple categorization.
Vazquez returns to strong imagery to tackle bold topics. From the outset, he pits symbols of tenderness against brutal conflict, pairing bears and unicorns in a vivid, bloody clash. The film opens by challenging male arrogance and then toys with a demonized female presence. The creator explains that contrast was a core goal, weaving humor and escalating drama. The approach moves from comedy into horror and then into raw emotion, with the aim of provoking real feeling rather than mere reactions.
holy and family war
Like Psychonauts, Forgotten Children, this project started as a comic and grew into a short film, Unicorn Blood, in 2013 before expanding into a feature. In the earlier short, two bear cubs hunted unicorns whose blood tasted of blueberries, a device Vazquez used to explore bullying. The plan then leaned into a wider war setting, mingling sacred and mythic elements with personal family drama.
In the film, bear cubs live in a militarized, religious society while unicorns roam freely in the Enchanted Forest, a land some ancient powers claim as their own by divine right. Alongside this holy war, Vazquez dives into the intimate rivalry between two brothers, Azulín and Gordi, for their mother’s affection. The director, drawing on his Catholic schooling and fascination with religious iconography, reflects on how myths and universal narratives mingle with family disputes and petty feuds.
six years of effort
The project required nearly six years to come to life, with significant time devoted to securing funding. The animation industry often faces funding challenges, especially for projects that depart from mainstream, child-focused content. The filmmaker notes that animation is a different beast from live action, with a studio mindset similar to that of a video game team, where many people work for years to cover rent and salaries. Money and time drive the pace, and the patience is part of the craft.
Most of the Psychonauts team united with two French studios, one in Paris and the other in Angoulême, to support the endeavor. Vazquez shifted from a 3D focus to embrace traditional 2D animation in large parts of the film, with occasional 3D work used to manage crowded battle sequences. The result is a look that feels handcrafted, even as modern techniques help bring large-scale action to life. Bringing multiple horse figures and complex formations into motion is a technical triumph that the director frames as essential to the film’s emotional impact.