OSKÄR: A Cinematic Ode to Hollywood’s Silent Hero
The first tribute to an animated movie projector was born.
Set primarily in Los Angeles, California, OSKÄR (2025) explores different perspectives: from the emotional nuances of immigration to the utopian allure of Hollywood.
OSKÄR is Puerto Rico’s first fully finished original animated film, representing the spirit of the Island in international festivals since 2025.
While Benito Martínez Ocasio (Bad Bunny) was introducing Puerto Rican culture to the world through music and global performances, a fellow Puerto Rican artist was crafting what would become the Island’s first fully conceived, produced, and finished animated film (in mid or feature length) — ready to represent Puerto Rico in international festivals.
Conceived, directed, and produced entirely from Puerto Rico by Ariel Orama López (AG Orloz) — who recently presented his short film Märbles at both the Fantasía International Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Love and Hope International Film Festival in Barcelona, and won Best Animated Short Film with Princëney (New Edition) at The North Film Festival in New York (featuring the first leading Caribbean, diverse animated character who dreams of becoming a prince) — it represents a historic step for animated cinema in Puerto Rico.
The movie blends poetic storytelling with cultural depth and technological imagination. OSKÄR is a poetic tribute to cinema’s silent hero: the movie projector. This soulful, space-origin projector with integrated AI embarks on a visually rich journey across 21 global locations — from Puerto Rico to Alaska, the Mexico–California border, and beyond — in search of family, identity, and emotional purpose. The film explores themes of emotional intelligence, cultural belonging, and the evolving role of technology in human connection.
Unlike adaptations from comics, books, or musicals, OSKÄR is based on an original concept and narrative. It features explicit references to Puerto Rican culture — including the iconic coquí frog — and is officially listed on IMDb as a Puerto Rican production. The film is now entering the international festival circuit, with its next stop at the Latin UY Festival in Uruguay (November 16–23), where Orloz was invited to present his new creative work alongside his award-winning short films.
“OSKÄR is a tribute to that silent star of cinema: the projector. Curiously, we haven’t found another animated film that pays homage to the projector as a central or relevant character — especially not one with integrated AI or such deep affection for California, for reasons revealed in the story. That’s why it had to be called OSKÄR, with the umlaut that characterizes my projects under the Sinapsis Crëativa brand,” said the director.
AG Orloz previously made history as the first Puerto Rican finalist at the Cannes Pavilion with 2HOOM [zu: m], a live-action and animation project. His work has been showcased at Cannes (2022–2025), the Biennale di Italia/World of Film, Grauman’s Theater, among others. With OSKÄR, he continues to elevate Puerto Rican cinema on the global stage.
Visual artist Jorge Dardo Cáceres animated OSKÄR under Orloz’s creative direction. The creator of the concept, Orloz, also wrote the script, composed lyrics, and produced the film. The project was independently funded with support from Feng Yan, Ideliz Santos, Carmen Orama López, Anissa V. Hernández (initial steps in longer films), and the Orama López family — without governmental or academic backing.
Ariel Orama López is a clinical (media) psychologist, actor, academic, and award-winning filmmaker. He has received honors such as the “Líderes de América” award, two Earthshot Prize nominations, and an honorary doctorate in education from Mexico. Beyond film, he has contributed as a writer for Ricky Martin’s Piccolo Universe and Juanes’ Fundación Mi Sangre, mentored contestants on Objetivo Fama 2025, and taught communications, education, drama, psychiatry (behavior), and psychology at undergraduate and graduate levels.
Ariel plans to present OSKÄR in New York as an animated feature film entry at The North Film Festival’s 2026 edition.
Contact: oskarthemovie@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/arieloramalopez/
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