Studio Amarela Mecânica

Moving images are what animate us

Amarela Mecânica is an animation film production company based in Braga, Portugal, founded in November 2017 by filmmaker Paulo D'Alva. It was created to widen the space for authorship and training in Portuguese animation, and to give new creators and first films a structure for support, production and curation.

An award-winning filmmaker in Portugal and abroad, with more than 25 years of work as an author, director and educator across some one hundred workshops, Paulo D'Alva designed Amarela Mecânica as a laboratory of moving images, built essentially around short films as a space for experimentation, where techniques are tested, materials are explored and the way is opened for emerging talent.

There is also a commitment to training new generations of filmmakers, through teaching in secondary schools and at university, alongside inclusion work in which art plays a central role with different communities and ethnic groups. Between 2006 and 2010, in the project “Desalojar a Exclusão”, Paulo D'Alva worked with the Roma community of Santa Maria da Feira on films such as “Carro Preto, Carro Branco”, awarded at Cinanima, and “Sanguêdo en La Baralha”.

At Amarela Mecânica, this work continues in partnership with schools, cooperatives, associations and companies, through different forms of cinema, such as live action and documentary, taking cinema on wheels to disadvantaged communities and to those for whom cinema remains out of reach: with Museu FACE and the CPCJ of Espinho on the series “A Joaninha ao Contrário”; with CERCI Estarreja on the short film “Realidades” and the feature film “Pé de Feijão”; and with Domus Porto and the children and young people of Bairro do Cerco on “Cerco-me de Histórias” and “Desconstrução do Natal”, works recognised at Cinanima and the Portuguese National Animation Award.

And, of course, through Anima Vam, a travelling festival housed in a workshop van, where schoolchildren create, produce and direct animated short films, screened in a free programme open to everyone. The Anima Vam van also promotes Portuguese auteur animation. From north to south of the country, from here to there and everywhere, the journey continues beyond borders, reaching the Annecy Festival in France in 2024. Today, Anima Vam carries on its purpose, here and there and everywhere, bringing moving images to schools, festivals, communities, events and training sessions on wheels!

Who We Are

Paulo D’Alva

CEO / Producer / Director

He began his career in animated film in 1995 at the Cineclube de Avanca studios. In 1996, he worked as an animator and co-director on the series “Alfredo”, broadcast on SIC in 1998 and sold to broadcasters in 27 countries. Between 1997 and 2001, he worked on several animated short films. In 1997, he directed his first short film, “A noite cheirava mal”, which screened at more than a hundred national and international festivals and won 11 awards, most notably the Grand Prize and the First Prize (Gold) at the 10th International Juvenale Klagenfurt in Austria in 1999. He is a founding member of Panorâmica, a film association based in Ovar, where he runs the animation studio and leads a range of animation workshops. In 2006, he worked on the animated short film “A meio da noite”. Since 2013, he has been a guest lecturer on the Master’s in Illustration and Animation at the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), while working regularly on commercials, television animatics and educational animation videos. His latest film, “Carrotrope”, has screened at more than 30 national and international festivals. He is currently directing the short film “Entre-linhas”, produced by the studio Bando à Parte.

Ana Conde

Graphic and Editorial Designer / Illustrator / Production Support

Ana Conde—the name she uses in her artistic practice—holds degrees in Early Childhood Education and Graphic Design, a master’s degree in Art Education, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Child Studies (specializing in Art Education), conducting research in the field of children's literature. With teaching experience in Visual Arts and Preschool Education, she works with Amarela Mecânica to guide and support students during their internships, promoting inclusive practices and facilitating coordination with educational institutions. She collaborates with Amarela Mecânica on editorial design and digital painting, as well as providing support for the production of animated film projects.

Nuno Oliveira

Executive Producer / Co-author of ANIMA VAM / Route to Annecy

Nuno Oliveira has a degree in Sociology from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Porto and has additional training in Video and Writing for Film and TV. He co-created, with Paulo D’Alva, the initiatives ANIMA VAM and Route to Annecy, and was the executive producer of the film Esquizoframe (2026), funded by the Portuguese Film and Audiovisual Institute (ICA). Throughout his career, he coordinated various cooperation, social, and community projects in the PALOP countries and in Portugal, combining inclusion and development with cooperative audiovisual practices.

António Pinto

Director, Technician, and Camera Operator

António Pinto holds a degree in Sound and Image from the School of Arts of the Catholic University of Portugal in Porto. He directs fiction, documentary and animated short films, and regularly works with film and television producers and directors. His documentary work includes “Toponímia – As Memórias do Porto” and “Mar Alberto”; in fiction, he directed the short film “Emprestaras-me os teus Olhos”. In animation, he co-directed the short film “Fim de Linha”. His films have been screened at national and international festivals.

João Ricardo de Carvalho

Director / Digital Painting

João Ricardo de Carvalho holds a degree in Architecture and a master’s degree in Technology and Digital Art. He teaches Visual Arts at secondary school level. He is passionate about gardening, especially growing English roses, and about music: he plays the saxophone in his spare time. He provides animal-assisted services with his dog, Jado, an international award-winner in dog competitions. He began working with Amarela Mecânica on Paulo D’Alva’s film “Esquizoframe” and is currently directing the film “Rose”.

Carolina Batista

Director

Carolina Batista holds a Master’s degree in Illustration and Animation, having trained in Puppet Making at the Aardman Academy and in Animation Production Management at The Animation Workshop. She created her first stop-motion film, My Oddly Unexpected Bond, produced by Amarela Mecânica and co-produced by Croma Studios. The film premiered at the Visioni Italiane 2025 festival in Bologna and was selected for MONSTRA – Lisbon Animation Festival and Fantasporto. In 2026, it was shortlisted for the Quirino Awards in the Best Ibero-American Animated Short Film category.

Margarida Ferreira

2D Digital Animator / Illustrator / Digital Painting / Director

Margarida Ferreira holds a Master’s degree in Illustration and Animation and a degree in Visual Arts and Artistic Technologies. She dedicates her artistic practice to illustration and animated film, working between Porto and Eindhoven. She created Underwater, her first animated film, produced by Amarela Mecânica. Her career intersects visual creation, illustration, and animation, exploring diverse artistic languages and forms of expression.

Mattia Roncon

2D Digital Animator / Digital Painting / Director

Mattia Roncon holds a Master’s degree in Illustration and Animation and works as a designer, illustrator, and animator. He collaborates as a freelancer with Amarela Mecânica on various animated film projects, focusing on visual development and animation. He is currently a PhD candidate working on the GRAFFIMOTION research project. His work intersects design, illustration, and animation, with a particular interest in the relationships between moving images, urban space, and graffiti.

David Silva

Web Design and Development / Freelancer

David Silva holds a degree in History and a postgraduate specialisation in Logistics Management from Brazil, where he spent over a decade in operations planning and coordination. In Portugal, he completed a Higher Technical Professional Course (CET) in Computer Systems Programming (IEFP / ISLA Gaia) and turned his focus to web development. He designed and built this Amarela Mecânica website, from the content management system to its launch, and is responsible for its ongoing maintenance. Contact: davidwshello@gmail.com