Chilean filmmaking duo Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña, best known for the acclaimed stop-motion horror "The Wolf House," return with "Donkey Princess," a mixed-media adult fairytale premiering in the international competition at Locarno. The film, co-written with novelist Alejandra Moffat, reworks Charles Perrault's 17th-century tale "Donkeyskin," blending animation, live-action and handmade design to tell the story of a princess crushed by the patriarchal demands of her kingdom, in a work critics see as consolidating the pair's reputation as distinctive auteurs.

The story follows Princess Diana, played by "Hyperboreans" star Antonia Giesen, whose troubled relationship with her father pursues her even after she escapes into the real world, building to a climax described as both touching and unsettling. The kingdom itself is brought to life through Natalia Geisse's inventive production design, mixing animated imagery with handcrafted sets such as toadstool-shaped turrets and fiberglass mountains. While reviewers say the film doesn't quite match the emotional intensity of "The Wolf House," it is seen as striking a stronger balance between accessibility and experimentation than the directors' 2024 follow-up "The Hyperboreans," positioning it for a life beyond the festival circuit.