Luis de la Rosa, 34, a Mexican animator and illustrator known for works such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, was killed by a train while attending the Annecy Animation Festival.
According to local French newspaper Le Dauphiné Liberé, the accident occurred on the evening of Wednesday, June 24, on the train tracks that run along Rue de Brony in downtown Annecy. This area is fenced and closed to public access. The conductor reported the accident around 8 p.m.
De la Rosa was walking along the railway tracks near Rue Aristide-Briant when he was hit by the Léman express train and dragged several meters, Le Dauphiné newspaper reported. The driver spotted the man near the edge of the tracks and sounded the horn to warn him of the approaching train.
Firefighters and medical teams were called to the scene, but Delarosa was pronounced dead at the scene, the newspaper said.
De la Rosa was in Annecy to attend the festival and its industrial market, MIFA. Le Dauphine newspaper reported that he was wearing the festival’s badge around his neck at the time of the incident. A police investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of his death.
The Annecy Animation Festival will pay tribute to de la Rosa at its closing ceremony Saturday night.
Dela Rosa was mourned on social media, especially on the blog Blanco Tarantino TV, which wrote: “The animation world is mourning the loss of Mexican animator Luis de la Rosa, who passed away in an accident at the age of 34 shortly after attending the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Dela Rosa recently presented his original project ‘Ash Raider World’ at the prestigious festival and was widely respected for his contributions to numerous animated features throughout his career.”
De la Rosa has contributed to a series of animated film and television projects, including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, My Little Pony, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and Meatballs: The Series. He recently worked on the short film ‘Axolodyssey’ directed by John Densk.
