Mar 7, 2019

Argentina's Buda Company Celebrates South American Mate Beverage with Collaborative Short Film

Buenos Aires, Argentina-based studio Buda has brought together South American animation artists to create a collaborative short film celebrating yerba mate, a popular herbal beverage in the region and an important part of its cultural identity.

Yerba Mate is present in the lives of most people across multiple countries in Latin America, and drinking it is an opportunity to connect and spend time with loved ones. This is why Buda's representatives, Martín Dasnoy and Darmilo Buigues, wanted to use yerba mate as a central element in a project that would integrate the diverse styles and singular voices of the various artists they admire.

The work "Mate - Yerba Mate" can be viewed at For English subtitles press the CC button:

The participating creators represent the countries where mate is most popular: Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. The artists used a variety of techniques to create their works, including CG, 2D, mixed media, and pixel art. Buda's message is that just as different people can share a cup of company, different approaches can coexist in a single work of art.

The framing device for the introduction of the short film was created by Bouygues, who served as art director for the project, and Das Noi, who served as animation director. It took four months from the conception of the idea to its completion. Since this was a non-profit endeavor, each artist worked on his or her segment in his or her spare time between regular jobs.

The list of participating artists includes: Buda, Fabricio Lima, Jorge Canedo, Morphine, Matias Furno, Atlántico, Gáston Pacheco, Cinco, Gabriel Fermanelli, Six N. Five, Carlos Araya, Bandido Guapo, Enano Maldito, Esteban Pedrozo, Angel Rapu, Giulia Marchetti, Julian Fumagalli, Juan Molinet, Pablo Cuello, Laura Giménez, Steven Fergusson, Pablo Mardones, Felipe Vargas, and Leandro Vargas.