Cartoon Saloon's 'Julián' brings a mermaid dream to Brooklyn
Variety published its review of Julián on 16 September 2026, putting the spotlight on the new animated feature from Ireland's Cartoon Saloon.
The film is an adaptation of Jessica Love's 2018 children's book Julián Is a Mermaid, according to Variety. It centres on seven-year-old Julián, voiced by Knyght Darius Jac. He dreams of becoming a mermaid.
Julián lives in Brooklyn. He is Dominican American, and the story follows his close bond with his immigrant grandmother.
That grandmother is Carmela, voiced by Milcania Diaz-Rojas. Carmela is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic living in Brooklyn. Cartoon Saloon's own synopsis says Julián is about to spend the summer with a grandmother he barely knows, according to Cartoon Saloon.
The film is directed by Louise Bagnall, with Guillaume Lorin and Mark Mullery as co-directors. It is Bagnall's feature directorial debut. She was previously an Oscar nominee for the 2019 short Late Afternoon. The screenplay is by Juliany Taveras.
In the story, Julián hears about the Coney Island Mermaid Parade from girls in his neighbourhood. The parade is a real summer event in New York, known for its handmade sea-creature costumes. Julián also learns about Yemayá, an Orisha deity, through a bodega owner, a keeper of a small corner shop.
What makes this stand out on the calendar is the mix of places and cultures. The film is described as a Brooklyn-set coming-of-age drama that celebrates Latin culture and the flora and fauna of the sea, as reported by Variety. It links a Dominican American family story with ocean lore.
Julián premiered at Annecy, the leading international animation festival in France, as reported by Screen Daily. Ahead of that launch, Variety reported on 28 April 2026 that actor Zoe Saldaña had boarded the project, according to Variety.
Cartoon Saloon was established in 1999. The Kilkenny-based studio lists Julián among its feature films. It notes five Academy Award nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for its earlier work.
