Giggling elementary schoolers, smiling families and mermaids took over the Violet Crown Cinema Saturday morning for the 39th annual Virginia Film Festival’s screening of “Julián.” The 85-minute 2D animated film was the 2026 VAFF Family Centerpiece Film, and one of six animated films being shown at the festival. It follows a young boy who discovers he is a mermaid while spending the summer with his grandmother near the lively and colorful Brooklyn shore.
“Julián” is an international co-production between the Ireland-based Cartoon Saloon —, the award-winning studio known for “The Breadwinner” and “Wolfwalkers” — and several other companies, including Melusine Productions, Aircraft Pictures and Sun Creature Studio. Based on the 2018 picture book “Julián is a Mermaid” by Jessica Love, “Julián” is the feature-length directorial debut of Louise Bagnall, Cartoon Saloon filmmaker and animator. The film premiered June 23 at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival as part of the Annecy Presents category and has since been viewable at various festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival and the British Film Institute London Film Festival.
Jesús Játiva Fernández, the 2026 guest programmer of the VAFF Animation series, introduced “Julián” to an audience full of children and families, underscoring VAFF’s efforts to bring more animated and family-centered movies to the festival this year. The near hour-and-a-half film that followed was a swirling menagerie of crayon and colored pencil, steeped in Dominican American culture and the importance of family.
The film opens with Julián, a wide-eyed and curly-haired seven-year-old boy, as he draws two sunfish — one for him and one for his grandmother. His bright imagination transforms Brooklyn into an underwater paradise, one he intends to share with his grandmother over his summer stay. An eclectic woman with a bright pink front door, she insists Julián call her “Abuela” instead of “Grandma.”
Still, Julián and Abuela struggle to see eye-to-eye early on. Abuela, although a spirited and loving woman, has trouble understanding Julián’s wild imagination and love for mermaids. Julián feels out of place as he adjusts to the lifestyle of a new city until he meets a playful water spirit named Luna, the mermaid goddess Yemayá and a group of three girls with sparkly scarves and flashy chalk drawings. The four of them bond over a shared love of mermaids, leading to Julián’s discovery of the alluring Coney Island Mermaid Parade — a magical event where everybody dresses up and plays in the ocean.
“Julián” continues with similar misunderstandings, reconciliations and mermaids, painting an elegant picture of love and family in a community that may not always want to see one for who they are. The stunning visuals, music and story make for an emotional journey that audience members from all walks of life could enjoy. Aviva Pressley, audience member and second-year College student, described how the film’s emotional beats hit home despite her not being the target demographic.
“Something about this movie really got to me. It starts off with some cute little bits made for children … and then the movie subtly hits you with these really deep emotional themes about identity and belonging, and feeling out of place and being taken away from your home. I found it really beautiful,” Pressley said.
“Julián” also was praised by attendees for its careful handling of queer themes. The film’s source material was loosely inspired by drag performances and the New York City ball circuit, both of which are predominantly queer spaces. “Julián” addressed themes of gender identity, with its protagonist facing community backlash for his long hair, sparkling outfits and female friends. Audience member Alicia Robbins commented on the grace with which she felt “Julián” approached complicated ideas about gender.
“I just think it’s such an important movie, especially for kids,” Robbins said. “I think the way it approached [themes of queerness and gender] was brilliant because it’s never directly said, because that’s not how he’s going to understand it as a kid, and it was more like ‘This is who he is.’”
The film struck an emotional tone for Robbins as well. She described the emotional payoff of the film’s ending as one of its most moving moments.
“Yeah, I cried almost the whole time,” Robbins said.
While on the surface a colorful and whimsical children’s movie, “Julián” contains an ocean full of themes about family, love and belonging. The film resonated with many viewers, be it because of its powerful onscreen relationships, queer-coded identities or the sheer beauty of its animation. Laughter and crying, most from audience members younger than VAFF’s usual crowd, could be heard throughout the showing — a testament to the multi-generational impact of VAFF’s Family Centerpiece film.