Julián Screening- Presented by Cartoon Saloon and SFFILM

RSVP Monday, October 26 6:30 pm Premier Theater (1 Letterman Drive, San Francisco, CA) Post Screening Q&A with director Louis Bagnall. Screening presented by Cartoon Saloon and SFFILM. Age Recommendation: 5 and up Celebrate Irish animation with Julián, a new film from Cartoon Saloon, the acclaimed independent studio based in Kilkenny, Ireland. Best known to many families for the beloved series Puffin Rock, Cartoon Saloon is also celebrated for its beautifully crafted, hand-drawn films, including The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers. Inspired by Jessica Love’s picture book Julián Is a Mermaid, this charming story follows Julián as he discovers his Caribbean heritage, a vibrant Brooklyn community, and the confidence to imagine himself as a mermaid. Directed by Academy Award®-nominated Louis Bagnall, the film explores family, belonging, heritage, and self-expression. We’re delighted to welcome Cartoon Saloon back to San Francisco after their March 2026 visit to the San Francisco Public Library, where Fintan Reidy opened the program with a performance on the pipes. Stay after the screening for a Q&A with director Louis Bagnall. More about the film: Julián is an animated feature film from Cartoon Saloon. Directed by Louise Bagnall, the movie is adapted from Jessica Love’s celebrated children’s picture book, Julián Is a Mermaid. The story follows a young Dominican American boy spending a vibrant summer in New York City with his grandmother (Abuela), where he explores his love for mermaids, self-expression, and identity. True to the studio’s reputation, it features a beautifully distinct, colorful visual style that translates the original book’s watercolor magic to the screen.