Ernesto Padrón Blanco

Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Havana. He was director of the children's magazine Zunzún for fifteen years, and five years of the magazine Bijirita. He is the author of the animated series The Why's?, For the Curious and Getting to Know Martí. He is also the creator of the comic strip and animated character Yeyín.

He also worked on the script and as assistant director, respectively, in the animated feature films Vampires in Havana and More Vampires in Havana.

He was Head of the propaganda team of the Dissemination Front of the José Martí Pioneers Organization and Director of the children's magazines Bijirita and Zunzún. He has taught various specialized courses and workshops in graphic design, comic strip scripts, and computer animation. He works as a film director at the Animation Studios of ICAIC, where he has obtained, as a filmmaker, several awards in Cuba and abroad.

He is the screenwriter and director of the first 3D feature film made in Cuba. In 1976 Tulio Raggi planned it and he did the character designs; but the project never came to fruition. When he was directing the magazine "Zunzún" he drew a version in a four-page comic strip, but that did not fulfill his desire to settle the debt with Meñique and Martí. The film's screenplay is a free version of the story, although it preserves the essence of the main plot.

Active Bibliography
Momentos importantes, book of stories published by "Gente Nueva" Publishing House, 1976.
Ustedes son el futuro, Illustrations for the book of Fidel's speech at the Pioneers Camp "Bolodia," at Lenin Park (1976), published by "Gente Nueva" Publishing House that same year. Bronze Medal at the IBA Book Exhibition–1977, Ottawa, Canada.
Cuentos de abril, book of stories co-authored with Jorge Oliver (texts and illustrations), published by Gente Nueva Publishing House, 1978.
Aventuras de Yeyín, comic book published by Pablo de la Torriente Publishing House, 1982.
A primeira aventura, illustrations for the story collection by Cuban writer Anisia Miranda, published by Castro Editions, Coruña, Spain, 1991.

He has published theoretical articles in the magazine El Caimán Barbudo and in the newspaper Juventud Rebelde, as well as stories and illustrations in Abril and Gente Nueva publishing houses intended for children and young people. He has also created other productions among which stand out the multimedia projects Enciclopedia Zunzún. Birds of America and The Why's Series, also for computers. He has results in graphic design with the creation of logos for different events and printed materials.

Awards
He has won national and international awards as a journalist, designer, screenwriter and film director; among them:

Poland magazine Award, 1972.
IBA Book Exhibition–1977, Germany.
International Fair of Ottawa, Canada, 1977.
"OCLAE" Award, 1980.
Poster Museum, Warsaw, 1990.
UNEAC Caracol Competition (Screenplay and Direction Awards) 1999, 2000, 2001.
Mention at the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, 1999.
Award at the Guyana Children's Film Festival, Venezuela (2002).

Distinctions
Diablo Cojuelo Diploma, National Committee of the UJC (1988).
Centenary of the Golden Age Diploma, Ministry of Culture (1990).
Distinction for National Culture, Ministry of Culture (1995).
Artistic Merit Diploma from the Higher Institute of Art (2002).