Cartuna is a cartoon company and indie film distributor focused on animation, puppetry, DIY art, and alt-comedy. Please enjoy our personal collection of films, our artists will thank you for it!
In Sultana’s Dream, director Isabel Herguera brings one of the earliest works of feminist science fiction to life in a bold and visually striking animated feature. Inspired by Begum Rokeya’s 1905 tale of a peaceful, women-led utopia called Ladyland, the film follows Inés, a Spanish artist who travels to India and becomes captivated by this visionary world — and the real woman who imagined it. Moved and unsettled by the story’s radical vision, Inés begins to examine her own relationship to feminism, history, and identity.
As she journeys across India, Inés’s path begins to blur with that of Rokeya herself, conjuring surreal and poetic encounters with real-life archives, suppressed histories, and imagined futures. Shifting animation styles — from watercolor to shadow puppetry to mehndi — reflect the film’s exploration of cultural exchange, gender roles, and the power of imagination as resistance.
Sultana’s Dream is a poetic, political, and visually dazzling celebration of feminist thought across time. At once a tribute to a forgotten pioneer and a rallying cry for new ways of seeing, it offers a powerful reminder: to imagine another world is the first step toward building it.
directed by: Isabel Herguera
starring: Mary Beard, Miren Arrieta, Mireia Gabilondo, Maurizio Faraoni, Manu Khurana, Arunima Bhattacharya, Ranjitha Rajeevan, Paul B. Preciado
2023 / 76 min / 1.78:1 / English, Spanish, Hindi DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.714286 / 5 from 7 reviews.
Review topics: ["style","crafted","film","movie","story","john","art","commentary"].
"I love the animation style and the music throughout the film; it was clearly artistic feat. That said I found the story quite difficult to latch onto, it was difficult to admire the film as needed because it failed to get and retain my interest beyond its artwork."
"This movie had a very unique animation style which suited the movie well. I was a little concerned about the animation based on what I knew about the movie, but I was wrong. The visuals supported the story in an amazing way. The movie shows a woman’s quest to better understand an old story but it also weaves that old story into the tale it is telling. The movie is very inspirational without feeling preachy. And the commentary was always interesting and informative. The art on slipcover and on the inner case and the artwork from the movie in the booklet are all magnificent. I haven’t watched all the bonus shorts yet, but the ones I did watch were great."
"Isabel Herguera uses the eponymous short story by Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain as a means of introspection for a young Spanish artist living in India, much of the film being a sort of travelogue as she seeks to learn more about the author of such an influential feminist story. The film itself is gorgeously realized through a traditional/digital watercolor aesthetic that evokes the bold limited animation stylings of John and Faith Hubley, with mendhi flourishes to top it off. That said, this comes off as if it was produced for people who are already knowledgeable of the history of feminism in India. I can't help but feel there was potential in easing a novice into this subject that wasn't fully touched upon. Of course, even I'm willing to admit that it's on me and my own American-centric mindset for not knowing about the subject prior to watching the movie. At best, the arc of protagonist Inés could mirror that of a said novice who wishes to expand their knowledge. The artistic craft is strong enough to inspire those to delve deeper."
"This is one of the most stunning animated films I've ever seen. It has some truly breathtaking imagery and the colors are amazing. An interesting choice to adapt this by telling the story, the life of the author, as well as the travels of someone I assume was based on the director. A mix of spoken languages throughout. Changing styles with each scene keeps you interested. A booklet with the story is included. Highly recommended."
"An animated Bengali feminist utopia. I can safely say there's no other film like it."
"This unique piece of film needs to be seen on this gorgeous Blu-ray"
"Cartuna are rapidly becoming one of my most-bought Partner Labels"
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