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The Irish Ambassador to Mexico Presented JULIAN During the 24th FICM

Omar Sosa

Thanks to a collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico, Julian (2026, dirs. Louise Bagnall, Guillaume Lorin, Mark Mullery) was presented during the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), with Ambassador Ruairí de Búrcase and Daniela Michel, the festival’s founder and director, in attendance. Also present was Giannella Ysasi, Regional Cultural Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico.
 

The film is based on a children’s book titled Julian Is a Mermaid, written and illustrated by Jessica Love. “It is a book that, much like the film, speaks to the importance of self-expression, being who we are, and finding a sense of belonging,” remarked Chloë Roddick, a festival programmer, during the film’s presentation.

De Búrcase thanked the festival and Daniela Michel for their willingness to provide a platform for Julian. He described the film as a showcase of Irish creativity and talent. “For us, cinema is a way to communicate with the world, but also a way to hold a mirror up to the world,” he added.

The Irish ambassador noted that his country has a 20- to 30-year tradition in animation, with approximately two thousand professionals currently working across some 50 animation studios—a group that includes several Mexicans.

“This production comes from Cartoon Saloon, which was founded in a city somewhat like Morelia—a place called Kilkenny, which is about 560 years old,” said De Búrcase, drawing a parallel between the vibrant film culture of Morelia and the extensive cinematic output associated with the Irish city.

The film follows Julian as he prepares to spend the summer with a grandmother he barely knows. He is filled with wonder as he discovers her apartment (a true treasure), his own Caribbean heritage, and the vibrant Brooklyn community that surrounds him—but most surprisingly of all, Julián discovers that he is, in fact, a mermaid!