Colorful animated scene featuring a tropical parrot with blue, green, yellow, and orange feathers sitting outside a treasure chest, surrounded by lush green leaves, fruits, and a bust sculpture in the foreground.

Once upon a time in the tropics

Everybody Loves Salsa is an animated short film that celebrates Latin American heritage, rhythm, culture, and connection through movement, colour, and music. More than ten years in development and two years of production, the film combines 2D and 3D animation with mixed media techniques, creating a vibrant visual experience inspired by Colombia and the culture of salsa. With a salsa track and a Colombian Pacific-inspired piece exclusively made for the project, Everybody Loves Salsa brings together musicians, artists, and dancers to honour Cali and the spirit of salsa. 

The project began as a spark of inspiration in 2012 , and what started as an idea for a local festival poster contest entry grew into a more than decade-long artistic journey and exploration of Latin American music, culture, identity, and design. Cali became the backdrop for the film, with real-life streets, landmarks, and atmosphere captured through real photographs that were seamlessly woven into the animation. Drawing inspiration from salsa’s spontaneous nature, the project was approached with an open mind, often letting rhythm guide creativity. Over the years, the project went through different stages, evolving organically, integrating new ideas, and refining techniques that reflected Daniel’s ongoing journey with design while simultaneously experiencing Colombian culture. 

Visually, Everybody Loves Salsa is a celebration of culture and colour. Its colour palette was perfected for over a decade, drawing from the colours of Colombia’s flag, and the ones present in nature, like the tropical fruits and Cali’s architecture, with all the colours matching seamlessly with each other. The short film’s characters are representative of Colombia and its culture, including El Guacamayo, La Palenquera, La Marimonda, El Jaguar, Juan Valdez, El Pibe Valderrama, and original characters El Dios de la Salsa and The AI Preacher. With each character reflecting a beloved part of the Colombian culture, combines with the original tracks and choreography, Everybody Loves Salsa is a love letter to the city of Cali, and the vibrant soul of Latin America. 

The god of Salsa opening its wings

Hey hola

*

Hey hola *

A cartoon-style yellow and black-spotted leopard with red eyes sitting on an orange surface against a multicolored gradient background.

Daniel Cordero is a designer and animator from Cadiz, Spain who now lives and works between Toronto and Cali.

His work encompasses everything from vibrant graphic art, to soft colour palettes that focus on texture and form, to meaningful and silly animations. His depiction of the human form can be literal or imaginary, using simple shapes to create characters with distinct personalities. From the most detailed illustration to the simplest icon, Daniel strives to create work that is both thought-provoking and incredibly humorous.

He’s also been awarded with three Vimeo Staff Picks (for Fastest, State of Grace and Art Is Theft), plus an extra one as collaborator for To This Day. 

In 2022 he was a Pencil Wood winner at the prestigious D&DA Awards for the series The Adulthood. 

Let’s talk

Want more info about this animation? Any inquiries? Festival showings or just a nice chat?

An animated macaw turning in 360 degrees

A little help from my friends

  • Black and white portrait of a young man with short dark hair, wearing a black T-shirt and black earrings, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression, against a plain white background.

    Luis Mejia

    3d Modelling and 3d animation

  • A man with a beard and sunglasses sitting outdoors, wearing a leather jacket.

    Jose Lun

    3d Layout and additional 2d animation

  • A man with dark curly hair and a beard, smiling while sitting outside on a sunny day, wearing a black t-shirt.

    Manuel Casares

    Additional 2d animation

  • A woman with wavy brown hair, red lipstick, and eye makeup looks at the camera, with her hand touching her chin and another hand behind her head.

    Xiomara Rodriguez

    Media management, production, choreography

  • A man smiling at the camera outdoors, wearing a red quilted jacket, a blue backpack, and a green patterned neck gaiter, with a train and mountainous landscape in the background.

    Alejandro Castrillon

    Media management

  • A young woman with long dark hair and light skin sitting indoors near large windows with green plants behind her. She is resting her head on her hand and looking at the camera.

    Sarah Hurtado

    Copywriter

  • A man with short hair and a beard stands in dim lighting with shadows on his face, illuminated by warm reddish light from the upper left.

    Jeff Moberg

    Sound design, mastering and final mix

  • A man wearing sunglasses playing a piano in a dimly lit room.

    Cristhian Salgado

    Composer, music producer, mixer, backing vocals

  • Woman with dark curly hair wearing a colorful traditional African dress with geometric patterns, standing on a cobblestone street with pastel-colored buildings in the background.

    Liceth Zagon

    Singer, backing vocals

  • A smiling man with dark curly hair stands outdoors in front of modern skyscrapers, wearing a white t-shirt, camouflage shorts, and a watch.

    Jhon Fredy Vivas

    Bombo, Cununos, Guasá and Marimba

  • A man smiling in a cluttered room filled with various toys, books, and memorabilia, standing behind a microphone, wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a beaded necklace.

    Adrián Viáfara

    Clarinet

  • Close-up of a young man with dark curly hair, beard, and mustache wearing a beige sweatshirt and a necklace, looking contemplative.

    Kevin Quinto

    Bass

  • A young man wearing sunglasses and a floral shirt sings into a microphone, with one hand touching his temple and the other holding the microphone stand.

    Santiago Moa

    Singer

  • A young man wearing headphones playing a trumpet in a recording studio with textured blue walls.

    Romario Franco

    Trumpet

  • A man wearing headphones playing a saxophone in a recording studio with a pop filter nearby.

    Sebastián Cifuentes

    Trombone

  • A person with curly hair and a beard playing a keyboard in a dimly lit room with studio equipment and large windows in the background.

    Cristian Pascagaza

    Piano

  • A man taking a selfie next to a cartoon character with a black hat and a yellow bone on it, in an indoor setting.

    Hector Moreno

    Choreography

  • A white dog with long floppy ears wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, resting its head on a person's shoulder during an outdoor event with other people and a red vehicle in the background.

    Archie

    Morale and cuddles

  • Small Yorkshire Terrier puppy with tan and gray fur standing on green grass in a garden.

    Coco

    His memory rests in our hearts