The animated short film, created by Eliana Fernández, who earned a bachelor's degree in Animation and Video Games from the Universidad ORT Uruguay, was also selected to be shown at various European and Latin American festivals and exhibition venues.
Among them are Animadeba WIP 2025, the #WEIRD Market 2024 and 2025 catalog, the RIA 2022 Residency (Argentina), and the official selection atABYCine, which will premiere on October 24. It also received a special mention at the Animac 2025 Incubator Pitch.
animator emphasized that the awards and accolades the short film received strengthened the project, gave it greater legitimacy, and renewed her confidence in the career path she had chosen.
When (animation) is such an unstable and complicated profession—and generally speaking, almost all of us artists suffer from imposter syndrome—receiving some recognition from the outside world renews our faith and reaffirms that it’s worth sticking with this path.
He also noted that what made his short film so highly acclaimed by critics was the combination of an autobiographical story with a universal theme—such as the relationship with pets—approached from a perspective that also touches on a taboo subject, such as depression. He also emphasized the importance of visual presentation and preparing the pitch to present the project to decision-makers.
Created as the final project for the Master’s in Animation program at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), this animated project focuses on the relationship between a young woman suffering from depression and Tina, a puppy she decides to adopt for emotional support. However, their bond becomes more complicated when she discovers that Tina is also struggling with emotional difficulties.
The short film was a group effort, with Eliana serving as general and artistic director, as well as handling the screenplay and editing, in addition to overseeing all the storyboards to ensure that the essence of the story was preserved. She also provided one of the voices for the project.
The project involved a team made up of other students in the UPV master's program.
Among them was Paola Tejera as production manager; Aitor Gaztambide, Noa Mermelstein, and Nick Adams as music composers; Roli Alonso, Rafa Albert, and Handi Cui on sound design; Clara García and Agathe Pias worked on the animation; and the screenplay was also developed by Alisa Lapkovskaya, who, in turn, was responsible for all the hand-painted watercolors used for the short film’s backgrounds.
The Story Behind Tina
"Tina" is an autobiographical story based on Eliana's experience with her dog, Tina, whose name inspired the title of the short film. The film depicts how, despite both of their efforts to adapt to living together, the best decision for both of them turned out to be living apart.
"It's a story of separation and grief, but it's also a happy ending for her and for me," Eliana explained, adding, "In a way, it's like those romantic breakups where, in the end, both of us found a better path separately, even though there was pain along the way."
In real life, Tina currently lives with a friend of Eliana's, who takes care of her, while Eliana, from Spain, covers the costs of her food and other necessities, since she was unable to take her with her when she moved to another country.
Living with her friend's other two dogs helped Tina gain confidence and become more cheerful and outgoing, to the point where she greets Eliana with jumps every time she visits.
animator , too, wanted the short film to address pet adoption from a less idealized perspective.
They say that a dog is your best friend and that it will cure you of all your ills. Often that’s true, but other times it isn’t, because a dog is a being in its own right and has its own needs. In an era when there’s so much talk about mental health, I think it’s important to understand that the only one who can heal your own wounds is yourself.
The story of Tina had been in her head since 2022, but it finally came to life after it was selected as one of five ideas presented in a class of 25 students in her master's program that were approved for implementation.
For the visual style of the short film, scanned watercolor paintings were used, and a sketchbook-inspired aesthetic was chosen, although the animation was created digitally.
On the one hand, the ink lines conveyed a more edgy quality, evoking anxiety and delicacy, while the watercolors and their watery appearance conveyed a sense of anguish.
On the other hand, the story incorporated a comedic element through the use of a color palette of pastel shades.
From ORT to Becho and Abril: Eliana's Career Path
Eliana's academic journey began with the question of how to turn drawing into a profession—a skill she never stopped practicing, one that always came naturally to her, and one she never hid from others.
Although she began by studying fine arts, she had always loved film and the idea of bringing characters to life. She eventually found all her passions in animation, and her passion for the profession grew even stronger with "Abril", a stop-motion project she developed alongside Sofía Caponnetto in the Production 2 and Production 3 courses of the Bachelor’s Degree in Animation and Video Games.
I realized I could spend hours doing this, and time just flew by. I'm really excited by everything that goes into a final piece: the color, the design, and all the different parts a project can be broken down into. I think it's amazing how much goes into making a short film or a movie and how every detail has to be perfectly in place.
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Over the years, Eliana's involvement in various animation projects has been closely linked to her training in the Universidad ORT Uruguay. Her first professional experience in the field was at Koati, where she joined a team of students assembled by professor Victoria Barreiro. There, she gained experience animating animals and four-legged creatures—skills she continues to apply in her current work.
Later, he appeared in *Becho, or the Extraordinary Appearance of La Cumparsita*, a feature film available on Disney+, after being cast alongside other students. Eliana noted that these training and work opportunities shaped her career path.
animator is currently working on a feature film. Based on her experience, she recommends that those just starting out in animation enjoy the process, allow themselves to experiment, and trust their own path—without expecting to have everything figured out from the very beginning.
It's worth noting that, as they gain experience, they can discover their interests, recognize their strengths, and find their place within the industry.
Learn more about theBachelor's Degree in Animation and Video Games at the