La sátira surrealista de Decorado & Paralelos de Disney explicados por el director Alberto Vázquez

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La película de animación de Alberto Vázquez, Decorado, cuenta la historia de Arnold y María, un matrimonio que resulta ser ratones. Recuerdan a los espectadores a Mickey y Minnie Mouse, pero enfrentan dificultades en sus vidas y carreras. A medida que crece su infelicidad, comienzan a cuestionar la realidad de su mundo, un tema que se refleja en el título de la película, ya que “decorado” es la palabra española para referirse a un decorado teatral.

Vázquez suele utilizar el simbolismo en sus películas y ya ha ganado varios premios Goya por sus cortometrajes animados, incluido uno de 2016. Sin embargo, su último trabajo parece una crítica directa al capitalismo. La poderosa corporación en el centro de la historia, A.L.M.A., puede resultar inquietantemente familiar para algunos espectadores.

En una entrevista de ScreenRant, Vȧzquez explicó cómo su película, Decorado, comenzó como un corto y creció hasta convertirse en un largometraje. También habló sobre sus elecciones sobre el aspecto de los personajes y qué mensaje quería transmitir con su historia, que describió como una mezcla de El show de Truman y Cuento de Navidad de Mickey.

Los orígenes del Decorado revelados por Alberto Vázquez

ScreenRant pregunta: “Decorado” comenzó como un cortometraje hace diez años. ¿Qué te llevó a convertirlo en un largometraje y qué hizo que éste fuera el momento adecuado para hacerlo?

Llevo un tiempo siguiendo el trabajo de Alberto Vázquez y es fascinante saber cómo surgió ‘Decorado’. ¡En realidad no era un gran proyecto planeado previamente! Comenzó alrededor de 2012 como un montón de cómics e historias cortas que estaba publicando. En su mayoría eran piezas divertidas y rápidas: pequeñas historias de una o dos páginas sobre animales que se enfrentan a, bueno, las grandes preguntas de la vida. Luego, años después, en 2017, decidió retomar esas ideas y convertirlas en un cortometraje. Mantuvo esa misma sensación cómica y una estructura no lineal realmente única. Visualmente, es impresionante: blanco y negro con fondos que parecen grabados antiguos del siglo XIX y un estilo realmente distintivo.

Más tarde conecté con Xavi Manuel, quien coescribió la película conmigo, y comenzamos a desarrollar una serie animada para adultos ambientada en ese mismo mundo. Aunque la serie no avanzó, creamos muchas ideas de historias, personajes y escenarios nuevos. Al final decidimos que en lugar de intentar hacer la serie, podíamos utilizar todo ese material para un largometraje. Habiendo dirigido ya dos largometrajes – Birdboy: The Forgotten Children y Unicorn Wars – estaba seguro de que podríamos lograrlo.

Este no fue un proyecto planeado desde el principio. Surgió a través de una serie de eventos afortunados, conexiones útiles y las contribuciones de personas clave, como Xavi, el director de arte José Luis Ágreda, mi colaboradora y directora de animación Pamela Poltronieri desde hace mucho tiempo y los productores, por supuesto.

ScreenRant asks: What’s the reason for choosing a mouse as the main character? And do the characters share any similarities with the animals they represent?

Alberto Vázquez explains that his characters, the protagonists, are both mice – a deliberate nod to classic characters like Mickey and Minnie. While there’s a playful parody involved, these mice are older, middle-aged, and clearly show the effects of a hard life. They likely were quite attractive in their youth, but that’s no longer the case.

The connection between my characters and the animals they’re linked to isn’t always direct. Sometimes it’s quite obvious, and other times it’s more subtle. I often use familiar animal symbols – like cats, mice, police dogs, or owls – because these images are widely recognized. Animals are also powerful because they’re universally understood, transcending cultural and time barriers.

The work blends traditional symbolism with a strange, dreamlike mythology – think upside-down mermaids, ghosts, and even people made of mushrooms. These mushroom figures, for instance, are meant to represent the workers at the ALMA company – depicted as quiet, almost faceless individuals. So, while there’s a layer of familiar meaning, there’s also a more instinctive, illogical, and open-ended interpretation.

Breaking Down The Symbolism Of Decorado

In the movie, Arnold and Maria are going through a midlife crisis, and it’s clear they used to be much more passionate and driven people. Why did the filmmakers choose to show us flashbacks of their more vibrant past while also portraying their current struggles?

I wanted to show the origins of these characters and explain how they’ve changed. They weren’t always as they are now; they used to be much more rebellious, energetic, and lived life on the edge.

Everything changes when they lose their jobs, especially when Arnold has to care for his ailing father. This increasingly isolates him, leading to a state of emotional and social withdrawal.

I wanted to explore the characters’ histories to explain their current actions. Their struggles aren’t just about money; they also involve health, life’s big questions, and their feelings. Despite everything, they still care for each other, and a genuine friendship shines through. It was important to me to highlight that connection.

ScreenRant noted that, besides Arnold and Maria, many characters in the show resemble famous cartoon characters – for example, the Depression Fairy is a darker version of Tinkerbell, and Pato Roni is a warped take on Donald Duck. The interviewer asked which character the writer and their co-writer initially decided to include, and what motivated that choice.

Pato Roni was one of the first characters we envisioned, conceived as a warped take on Donald Duck. We were drawn to his surreal qualities – he’s a beggar, but also a former celebrity. The fact that he’s playing a beggar in a movie allowed us to explore multiple levels of reality and who he really is. The story also reveals his history, showing how he was once a popular toy created by ALMA, a powerful company that makes everything, controls everything, and ultimately discards what it creates.

We found the character’s decline fascinating, but also enjoyed how he could unexpectedly and humorously change – going from a beggar to a real estate agent, and eventually becoming a powerful figure who seemed to run things alongside others. This highlights a world where appearances are everything and people constantly play roles, creating a sense of artificiality.

We also found other characters compelling, such as the demon and the Depression Fairy, who comes across as a darker take on Tinkerbell – a sort of gothic fairy figure.

ScreenRant asked: The film has some really striking, funny, and dreamlike moments that emphasize the idea that everything is a constructed set. Were there any scenes you had to cut – either because the movie was too long or to improve the story’s pacing – that you still think were good and added something to the film?

Absolutely. It’s common to have to cut scenes during the filmmaking process – whether to improve the flow of the story, make things easier to understand, or simply to stay within budget. Every additional minute of animation adds to the cost of the film.

I think the final version missed some compelling details. Pato Roni’s backstory, in particular, was significantly shortened. We used to see much more of his difficult upbringing and the poverty he experienced. I specifically remember that his father was a manager who took advantage of him when he was young, which created a really dark and intriguing dynamic. I found that aspect especially compelling.

Ultimately, when creating a movie, you need to choose what elements truly enhance the story and what, even if well-made, distracts from it.

‘Decorado’ has already been shown at several film festivals before its general release. What reactions or discussions about the movie have resonated with you the most?

I’ve noticed a really wide range of reactions to the film, which I think is fascinating. Some people find it hilarious, almost like a comedy, while others are left feeling sad, down, or even scared. The ending also seems to affect people differently – some think it’s too ambiguous, while others feel it’s too conclusive. This variety is interesting to me because it shows that everyone brings their own perspective and experiences to the film.

Once a film is completed, I feel it truly belongs to the viewers, not me. It’s important to me that people can form their own opinions and understand the movie in their own way. I don’t try to dictate how they should react; I think it’s much more rewarding when everyone connects with the film personally. Ultimately, I’m pleased with how the movie turned out.

2026-05-18 17:52