Catalina Ferreira, ESDESIGN alumni, receives the HONOR VEREDICTAS CUM LAUDE 2026 for Corazón de Cartón

Catalina Ferreira Martín, an alumni of the Master's in Illustration and Animation at ESDESIGN, Higher School of Design in Barcelona, part of Planeta Formación y Universidades, has today received the HONOR VEREDICTAS CUM LAUDE 2026 for Best Illustration Applied to an Advertising Piece for Corazón de Cartón, the short film she presented as her Master's Final Project, which was also recognised by the school this year as the best Master's Final Project of her cohort.

The journey of this project, which originated in the ESDESIGN classroom, demonstrates the potential of academic work to achieve international recognition.

What is Corazón de Cartón about?

Corazón de Cartón tells, in just two minutes of handcrafted animation, the story of a father who sells his kidney to feed his son. It is a piece that addresses extreme inequality and precariousness through a sensitive language filled with tenderness. Each character, object and setting is made by hand from cardboard, cut out, assembled and animated frame by frame, combining illustration, art direction, stop motion and cut-out animation.

Cardboard is not merely an aesthetic resource: it is the metaphor that runs throughout the entire work. Its fragility, folds and imperfections accompany a story about people who are forced to put their own bodies up as a last resort for survival, told with a sensitivity that has resonated with juries and audiences from different fields.

The full project can be viewed on Portfolio Corazón de Cartón and on its dedicated account: @the_cardboard_studio_lab.

A project that continues to receive recognition

The journey of Corazón de Cartón is already a notable achievement in its own right. The piece was recognised as Best Animated Short Film at the Rome Prisma Film Awards 2026, was a finalist in the Animation Competition at the Mediterraneo Festival Corto 2026 (Italy), received Official Selection at the Brooklyn Film Festival 2026, was a finalist at the ADG Laus 2026 and included in the In Book ADG Laus 2026, and now adds the HONOR VEREDICTAS CUM LAUDE 2026 to its list of accolades.

These recognitions come from very different fields: film festivals, graphic design awards and applied illustration, confirming that Corazón de Cartón works both as an audiovisual narrative and as a piece of design.

What are the VEREDICTAS CUM LAUDE awards?

With more than 30 years of experience certifying standards of excellence in design across more than 30 countries, the Fundación Veredictas Internacional presents the VEREDICTAS CUM LAUDE honour to recognise and promote excellence among the best design students and design schools. The distinction awarded to Corazón de Cartón in this edition places the project among the most notable international entries in its category.

At ESDESIGN, we will continue to follow Catalina and Corazón de Cartón's journey closely, as an example of how an academic project can achieve international recognition when it combines an authorial perspective, a relevant social issue and strong technical execution.