The boundaries between live-action filmmaking, high-end 3D animation, motion capture, and artificial intelligence continue to blur, and the resulting work is redefining what promotional media can achieve. In what is arguably the most ambitious and unconventional tourism campaign ever produced, Roma director Manu Mazzaro and Sauvage animation director Ernest Desumbila have joined forces to create The Surrender. Developed in production for more than six months and designed specifically to capture the imaginations of younger demographics, the film serves as the stunning latest chapter of the celebrated Andalusian Tourism Crush campaign.
Brought to life through creative agency Ogilvy Spain, the project officially premiered at San Diego Comic-Con Málaga 2026, instantly turning heads across both the advertising and entertainment industries. Eschewing the sun-drenched beaches, predictable landmarks, and conventional hospitality imagery typical of regional tourism promotions, The Surrender dives headfirst into surrealism, folklore, and dark fantasy. It presents Andalusia not merely as a vacation destination, but as a mystical, almost mythical realm capable of captivating and overwhelming the senses.
Elevating the project’s cinematic scale even further is an original musical score composed by legendary film composer Hans Zimmer, lending an epic, emotional weight to the surreal visuals on screen. The collaboration represents a rare alignment of top-tier creative talent, cutting-edge technology, and artistic freedom rarely seen in modern commercial briefs.
Reflecting on the grueling yet creatively liberating production process, Juan P. Moreno and Javier Senovilla, Executive Creative Directors at Ogilvy Spain, shared insights into the project’s bittersweet milestone. According to the leadership team, the project leaves a complex emotional imprint for multiple reasons. On one hand, it marks a definitive farewell to the groundbreaking Andalusian Crush campaign. On the other hand, the creative journey was defined by a level of artistic freedom and ambition that, within the contemporary advertising landscape, increasingly feels like it is on the verge of extinction.
Behind the Visuals of The Surrender
Achieving the distinct aesthetic of The Surrender required an unprecedented technical pipeline, seamlessly fusing traditional filmmaking techniques with cutting-edge digital wizardry. Roma and Sauvage brought together a massive team of specialized artists, developers, and technicians to handle the complex integration of CGI, live-action footage, and emerging AI tools.
The live-action segments, spearheaded by Director Manu Mazzaro and Director of Photography Toni Rey, established a gritty, grounded emotional core, captured with stark realism and intense character performances. Meanwhile, the animation and post-production units under Ernest Desumbila pushed the envelope of visual storytelling. The production integrated advanced AI creative supervision, CGI-to-AI development pipelines, complex Houdini simulations, and intricate Nuke compositing.
From surreal desert landscapes featuring towering, leafless trees and white horses to stylized black-and-white vertical architecture, every frame is meticulously crafted to evoke the abstract concept of "Andalusian magic." Characters navigate impossible, dizzying spaces—clinging to gold-trimmed walls overlooking broken stone balconies or confronting towering, enigmatic folklore-inspired creatures silhouetted in brilliant doorways. The visual dissonance challenges viewers to rethink their perceptions of regional advertising, treating a promotional film with the artistic reverence of a high-concept sci-fi or fantasy feature.
The audio landscape matches the visual grandiosity note for note. Beyond Hans Zimmer’s sweeping score, the sound design was meticulously orchestrated by Isilik Studio, featuring rich ambience and sound effects editors alongside traditional flamenco vocalists and guitarists. Authentic touches, including performances by flamenco singer José Luis Hernández and guitarist Juanfe Pérez, ground the surreal narrative firmly in the cultural soul of Southern Spain, even as the visuals venture into the realm of the fantastic.
Comprehensive Project Credits
The realization of The Surrender was made possible through a massive collaborative effort spanning multiple creative studios, production houses, and technical specialists across Europe.
The initiative was commissioned by client Andalusia Tourism and masterminded by agency Ogilvy Spain, under the leadership of Chief Creative Officer Roberto Fara, Executive Creative Directors Javier Senovilla and Juan Pedro Moreno, and Creative Directors Miguel Provencio and Víctor Vázquez.
The live-action production was executed by Roma, with Manu Mazzaro directing. The core Roma production team included CEO Pablo García Acón, Executive Producer Juan Bascon, Producer Alex Bareno, Production Director Carlos Martin, and Post-Production Director Tamara Diaz. The live-action crew featured Director of Photography Toni Rey, Art Director Vero Dichy (Dear Fucking Love), Stylist Celia Arias, and Offline Editor Jesus “Rullo” Díaz.
Animation and advanced digital workflows were handled by Sauvage, led by Animation Director Ernest Desumbila, Executive Producer Eva Laffitte, and Producers John Aoun and Yukio Montilla. The technical and artistic pipeline was driven by AI Creative Supervisor Albert Montero, Concept Artist Rafael Teruel, 2D Artists Santiago Manuel and Alex Baelo, CGI-to-AI Developer Nico Zarza, Storyboard and Character Artist Frame Alcala, and Offline Editor Joao Teixeira. Additional visual development and technical execution were provided by UI Artist Vivien Moundzengoulou; Nuke Compositors Juan Gorospe, Marcos Palazzesi, Miranda Farhat, and Marc Costa; Houdini Artist Roger Oller; 3D Generalist Pol Villalba; Colorist Xavi Santolaya; and After Effects and Online Conform Artist Ferran Folch.
Post-production duties were shared between McNulty and Sauvage, supported by Executive Producer Cata Inda, Heads of Post-Production Jordi Doll and Manuel Zamora, Visual Development Lead Rodrigo Rodríguez, AI Artists Esteban Perles, Sara Lainez, and Diego Lorca, Flame Artists Oceano Mateos and Jaime Guerra, and Chief Financial Officer Mar Marcos.
The audio experience was anchored by Hans Zimmer’s musical composition, alongside comprehensive sound design and engineering from Isilik Studio. The sound team included Sound Effects and Ambience Editors Ángel Rojas, Alex Aller, Xavier Pitarch, Martin Jimenez, and Luis Ortega, who also managed sound coordination and premixing. Additional musical contributions came from Alex Aller, accompanied by flamenco singer José Luis Hernández and flamenco guitarist Juanfe Pérez. Foley work was recorded and edited at El Pertigosaurio by Martin Jimenez and Daniel Rincón, while voice-over recording was managed at Sonomedia through talent representation agency Intengua, featuring voice talents Almar and Jeef.
