GRUFF

Gruff is a handmade paper animation that explores the different ways love is expressed within a family. The story focuses on the relationship between a daughter, her mother, and her grandfather. Combining elements of drama, family, and western action, the film depicts these familial bonds through a tactile visual style.

Directed and written by Julian Curi, this ten-minute short was produced in the United States by Righteous Robot. It is the first of two films directed by Curi in 2024, preceding Bonita & the Bandit. The production was led by producers Ivy Isenberg, Kaiser Johnson, and Keeley Bright. The voice cast features Joey Marie Urbina as Hazel, Avila Kast as Bo, and Charles Carpenter as Abuelo. Additional voices are provided by Bradford Loomis as the narrator, Vince Melamed as El Mayor and El Pistolero, and Kristin Anne Curi as Bonita.