Carolina Revilla Casillas was presented as the winner of the Jenkins - Del Toro 2025 Grant at the 40th edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG).
To make the official announcement, Daniela Yoffe Zonana, coordinator of Extension and Cultural Outreach at the University of Guadalajara; Guillermo Gómez Mata, president of the Guadalajara International Film Festival; José Trinidad Padilla López, president of the University of Guadalajara Foundation; Consuelo Castillo, representative of the Jenkins - Del Toro 2025 Grant jury; and Alejandra Lerdo de Tejada, director of communications for the Jenkins Foundation, made up the press conference's presidium.
"This kind of initiatives and scholarships fulfill dreams, and definitely that both the University, committed as always with cultural and artistic creation, with the promotion of its students and this opportunity in collaboration with Festival, with the University of Guadalajara Foundation and the Jenkins Foundation make this dream possible, which is to create an even floor, to sow a little seed so that our students and creators can have access to study, to draw this story anywhere," said Daniela Yoffe Zonana, on behalf of Karla Alejandrina Planter Perez, Rector General of the University of Guadalajara.
After screening two congratulatory video messages from Robert Jenkins de Landa, director of the Mary Street Jenkins Foundation, and Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, the representative of the jury presented Carolina Revilla Casillas as the sixth winner of this scholarship, who hopes to study for a master's degree in Executive Production or Distribution at the Ramon Llull University in Barcelona, Spain.
"The final decision was made with a person who made us think and dream about the future through the short film she made. Her words touched our souls and we believe that the path she is on will be a great one, not only for her, but also for the film industry," commented Consuelo Castillo.
Carolina Revilla Casillas took the stage and was thrilled to receive this scholarship that will allow her to continue growing professionally in the animation industry, in which she already has two years of experience with animated series that include the stop motion technique and an independent short film.
"I could talk for hours about how this is probably going to change my life, but I think more than anything I want to thank this community that has formed, especially in Guadalajara. I think as filmmakers we have a hard time from day one, it seems that everything is against you and I think that's why we are one of the most beautiful communities that exist in any industry.
"I take this as a blessing, but also as a responsibility. I want to go and learn as much as I can, but not just to stay there, but to learn and come back and join the Mexican talent, of which there is a lot. I hope to make that community for those who come," said the winner.
The Jenkins-Del Toro Scholarship, which has been awarded since 2019, provides annual support of US$60,000 for film studies at the bachelor's or master's degree level. The resources are provided entirely by the Jenkins Foundation and cover tuition, living expenses (cost of rented housing for the duration of the studies), maintenance (food), medical and life insurance, as well as a fixed amount to cover the cost of books and study materials.
INTERVIEW WITH THE SIXTH JENKINS - DEL TORO SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
What were your first approaches or what moments in your life do you remember that brought you closer to cinema?
Something very strange happened to me: there was never a specific moment. Since kindergarten, when they asked me the typical question "what do you want to be when you grow up? I don't know where I got it from but I always followed that instinct. I confirmed it or felt really sure of it when I was 15 years old and volunteered at the Guanajuato Film Festival. It was an incredible experience. Seeing how it was filmed, how everything was transferred to the screen, and seeing all the people who formed a community. That's when I knew that yes, I wanted to be part of something so big and collective.
Is there a production that made you say, "I want to do something like this"?
I'm a little embarrassed not to say Tarkovsky or something like that, but the truth is that one project that made a big impression on me was the animated series Avatar: The Legend of Aang. I think it was the first time I saw a series for kids that could be fun, but also deep, with beautiful art and music. I feel like it's been a huge inspiration for me. It will always be a benchmark for what I want to achieve: to create something with such sensitivity that connects with everyone, and especially with children.
As a young creator, how important has it been for you to work with other women creators?
The co-director of my short film Manita is Alexa García, and for her it was always very important that the project was mostly made by women. Maybe at the beginning I didn't see that need so clearly, but once we started working on a 100% female set, I realized how special it was. It was an intimate space, very well cared for. The idea was not to exclude, but to give opportunities to women who perhaps didn't have much experience in the industry. It was beautiful because from there was born a community and a collective called Muyo, formed by several young women working in animation. I realized how valuable it is to team up with other women and support each other.
In addition to this community that you have built as a formative space, do you consider that festivals can also have that function?
Definitely. One of the most formative spaces for me has always been festivals. I think that many times when you study at a certain university, you have a mold, but there is no other way to open yourself up than watching films, meeting people. There are great opportunities at festivals like this one, because if you see the directors in person, you can ask your questions directly and it's an incredible source of knowledge that shouldn't be wasted.
What does the Jenkins - Del Toro Fellowship mean to you?
For me it was very meaningful because it made me realize how big this community is and how there is a generation committed to continue supporting young people. Without that support, many times we would not be able to move forward in the industry. For me, the scholarship represents both a blessing and a responsibility: to continue learning as much as I can and, in the future, to become part of that generation that supports those who come after me.
Within the national animation scene, is there anyone you would like to work with in the future?
One of them is Rita Basulto, I'm a fan. Seeing Humo (2023) was very meaningful for me, especially because of the technique she uses; I had never seen anything like that. The play with the paper touched me a lot. But I'm also looking forward to working again with those who were my peers. There are a lot of people from my generation doing stop motion, like Andrea León and Alexa García, and I would love to work with them again. For me, it's not only important to look for the great masters, but also to keep creating fresh things with your own generation.