Who doesn’t love a good Disney movie? The 60th movie produced by The House of Mouse, Ecanto, brings back the magic and wonder that we have all come to associate with the production house, but which, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic has been denied to us for way too long.
The first trailer of this Latino-themed animated movie was unveiled on 8th July, 2021. The movie is directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush, co-directed by Charise Castro Smith. Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo, Maria Cecilia Botero, DianeGuerrero, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, and Wilmer Valderrama have all lend their voices to the movie.
Set in a fictional Colombia, the movie follows the story of Mirabel Madrigal. Every member in her family has some magical ability – either superhuman strength or healing powers or the ability to talk to animalsor something of the like.
All members, that is, except, Mirbel. This is her journey to save her family and their home when their magic comes under the threat of disappearing, and she, the “ungifted”, might be the only one who can help,
Encanto is scheduled to see the light of theatres in the US on 24th November, 2021.
Encanto: Setting
The movie is based in Colombia, although a fictional version of the South-American country. Unlike many other movies set in Colombia, which focus on the country’s notorious drug trade, Encanto takes a more sweet approach, portraying the people and the culture of the “gateway to South America”.
Latin America is a combination of Indigenous, African, and European heritage. The vision for the movie was to reflect all this in one family – the Madrigals. Stephanie Beatriz, the voice behind Mirabel, is, in fact, half-Colombian.
The film also features an original song “Colombia, Mi Encanto”, performed by singer, songwriter Carlos Vives. She is a native of Santa Marta, Colombia. The song celebrates the magical diversity of the country.
The filmmakers were heavily inspired by their research trip to the country during the early developments. They also closely worked with a group of expert consultants assembles through the course of the film’s production.
The filmmakers state that this group, which they call the Colombia Cultural Trust, was essential to the making of this movie. It was necessary to have people who could speak of architecture, of botany, of music, and most importantly, speak to the people of Colombia. Every department of the production worked with this group of experts – all the way from clothing to the way characters looked.
They really went the extra mile for this movie. Every aspect was scrutinized, from the color scheme used throughout the film, how the characters interacted with each other, the set design, even the foods and dishes seen in the background when the characters moved through the kitchen.
Encanto features numerous dark-skinned Afro-Latino characters. This could be a major step in the representation of this community in maist stream movies. This is why it was necessary to be as authentic as possible.
Producer, Yvette Merino brought in people who spoke about the Latino culture, Colombia in particular. They explained the meaning and significance of many of the various aspects of the culture. Jared Bush describes Colombi as being a melting pot of the different kinds of Latin cultures.
One of the really interesting ways culture is brought to life on screen is through dance. Encanto is thus, sure to transport the audience to Colombia, by fully immersing them in its music and culture.
Encanto, which is Spanish for “charm, is the first film under Disney’s solo production that is based in Latin America (Coco is a Pixar movie!). Also, Mirabel is the only Disney “princess” to wear glasses.