DANIELA MATALLANA
Senior at Dwight Morrow High School
2020
Digital Animation
Te Regalo Mi Musica follows the immigration story of Dani Matallana, Daneila’s father. In search of new opportunities, Dani moved from Pereira, Colombia to Venezuela and later to the US. Throughout these various transitions, Dani and the rest of his family looked to music as a tool to heal, build community, and maintain family connections.
Daniela conducted interviews with her father and family in Colombia to inspire the scenes in her animation. Family photo albums also served as the main inspiration for Daniela’s illustrations and character designs. Through this process of exploring her family history, Daniela discovered things about her father that she did not previously know, including his involvement in a band and how he lost touch
with his connection to music after moving to the U.S. Daniela’s father felt a reawakening of his excitement when he became aware of her own interest in music. Daniela and her father continue to bond over their love of music, and, through this animation, she hopes to do the same with you.