Pitch Perfect: How Ursula Echeverria Built an Animated Series from Guatemala

In this episode of Filmmaker Mixer, we sit down with Guatemalan filmmaker and animation artist Ursula Echeverria, founder of Kikotem Studios. A graduate of CalArts' prestigious Character Animation program and credited on high-profile projects like Xico’s Journey (Netflix) and Ruthless: Monopoly’s Secret History (PBS, Amazon Prime), Ursula is now blazing a new path in children's television.

She joins us to discuss her award-winning body of animated shorts — featured in over 60 festivals worldwide and honored with 30+ awards — and her next big leap: "The Treasure Box", a vibrant Pre-K animated series that helps children explore and understand strong emotions.

Currently in early development, The Treasure Box has already won four awards for its pilot script. Ursula shares insights into how she’s building international partnerships across Latin America, Canada, and Europe, the mentorship of Disney’s Stephen Anderson (Meet the Robinsons), and what it takes to get a show ready for the global stage — all while staying rooted in Guatemala.

We also discuss her presence at major festivals and markets like Annecy and CRMM, and how artists from underrepresented regions can break into the international scene.