I Am Frankelda (2025)

In 1866, in Monte Video, Mexico, Francisca Imelda is an aspiring horror writer. Following her mother's death and despite disapproval from her strict grandmother, she continues to write about fantastic creatures and a realm called the Topus Terrenus. Unbeknownst to her, her fiction is real in a parallel dimension where one of her characters, Prince Herneval discovers the existence of humans by following Francisca's narrative.

Because the Topus Terrenus and its inhabitants thrive on human fear, Herneval is forbidden by his parents from ever returning to the human realm. Later, the royal advisor and "nightmare-teller" Procustes visits the castle concerned about the kingdom's decline due to a lack of fear. From that day, Herneval vows to save his home and find a solution.

Ten years later, an 18-year-old Francisca fails to publish her work and decides to try again using the pseudonym "Frankelda." In the Topus Terrenus, Herneval decides to replace Procustes with Francisca as the new nightmare-teller. He travels to the human world and convinces her to join him. Using Herneval's powers, Francisca separates her consciousness to travel to the royal castle.

However, Procustes summons the clan leaders of the Topus Terrenus and attempts to discourage Francisca, dismissing her stories as "amateur" work. As Francisca remains on the realm longer than expected, Procustes unsuccessfully tries to mimic her style. He eventually waits for Herneval to ask permission to use her stories to trick Francisca into believing she is being manipulated, causing her to distrust Herneval and doubt her own talent.

Procustes manipulates Herneval into keeping Francisca in the realm longer by creating a "manufactured" nightmare. Herneval agrees, unaware that Procustes intends to invade and plagiarize the nightmare to claim the story as his own. When Francisca discovers the theft, she is devastated and threatens to leave the Topus Terrenus forever.

Shortly after, Procustes captures Francisca and, with the support of the clan leaders, orchestrates a coup against the monarchs of the Topus Terrenus. Meanwhile, Herneval travels to the human world to find Francisca, only to realize she never returned. Deducing she has been captured, Herneval returns to rescue her and apologizes for his actions. Francisca suggests defeating Procustes by luring him into a nightmare of her own creation.

At the castle, Francisca enters the nightmare, but when Procustes invades it, he manages to overpower her. Sensing the plan has failed, Herneval attempts to wake her but is fatally wounded by a hypnotized guard. With his remaining strength, Herneval enters the nightmare to help Francisca contain Procustes, who transforms into a house within the dreamscape. Before his defeat, Procustes threatens to trap them both inside forever; Herneval's consciousness merges with Francisca's book, leaving them both stranded within the nightmare.

With the intervention of the loyal guardian of the Topus Terrenus, Ceimut, the clan leaders are exiled, and Herneval's parents honor the duo's sacrifice by sharing Francisca's stories as nightmares, this also in turn restores the kingdom back to its former glory. Within the dream, Francisca and Herneval reunite and she vows to never stop writing. Suddenly, she wakes up in the human world. Inspired by her journey, she writes a new book titled "I am Frankelda", which is finally published, fulfilling her lifelong dream.