EXCLUSIVE: DreamWorks Animation Turning Short Film ‘Alma’ Into Feature

Animator Rodrigo Blaas is in negotiations to make his feature directorial debut for DreamWorks Animation, which is working with Guillermo del Toro to adapt Blaas’ award-winning short Alma into a full-length movie.

Blaas, who has worked on a slew of Pixar movies ranging from Finding Nemo to Up to several of its shorts, will write and direct the movie, which will be exec produced by del Toro. Just over a month ago, del Toro signed on to act as a consultant on several DWA projects.

In a show of how close Blaas and del Toro will be working, Blaas is also coming on board to act as co-director with del Toro on the filmmaker’s first animated feature, Trollhunters.  

Alma centers on a young girl who gets lured into an enchanted toy store, drawn in by its beautiful collection of dolls, including one that looks just like her. She discovers only too late that the shop is nefariously intent on adding her to its permanent collection.

Blaas did the short in his spare time while working on his Pixar project. The late nights began to pay off when last year Alma won the award for best animation at the L.A. Shorts Fest as well as best Andalusian short at Spain’s Animacor – International Animation Festival

Blaas, repped by ICM, also worked on Ice Age.

Here’s the Alma short: