From its good reviews, Encanto just made its way on to the top trends by being one of the most talked animated films of Disney. Even after the show, fans made sure the songs played were their current favorite songs and Madrigals for sure as their top family.
Encanto is a story about family, about the Madrigals who were displaced in the old times and coming back as new through magical powers.
It begins with the story of Mirabel Madrigal – the one who was born without a magical gift when all of them received their gifts during their childhood.
Her mother, who was born to cure the ailments of the sick through the food that she makes, her sister Luisa who is super strong, her sister Isabel who produces flowers and all things bright, Pepa (Mirabel’s aunt) whose mood affects the weather, Dolores (Mirabel’s cousin) who absolutely hears everything from behind, Camilo (Mirabel’s cousin) who can shapeshift, Bruno (Mirabel’s uncle) who disappeared after learning that his power can see the future and other visions, and Antonio (the youngest Madrigal) who later on learned that his power was about communicating with the animals.
The gifts mentioned were the gifts offered to them by the special candle who helped them overcome their losses way back through Abuela, the grandmother. Abuela later on discovered that the candle produces its magic as it helped them build their home and named it Casita.
And the story goes. They later on found out the cracks inside Casita making them vulnerable, less powerful. It’s now Mirabel’s quest to find what is making her family weak, what is making their house collapse. In finding that quest, Mirabel discovered secrets inside the house including the disappearance of her uncle Bruno and knowing that she was an instrument of making the family intact, whole, and unbreakable.
TIES AND CULTURE
Being tagged as a Colombian film, many Colombians bet to disagree that this was their representation. Where in fact, the filmmakers set Encanto in Colombia, a South American country with deep European and African cultural roots.
Their main agenda was to visualize Colombia not in a way that most people can see but with how the houses were built, how people dress up from different regions, and what people listen to. After all, it was made with great research through powerful representations from the different parts and of Colombia.
In the other point of view, people who saw Encanto will get used and think that Colombian culture is very diverse, it is not limited on the portrayals of “narco-dramas” or crime scenes putting it in such a bad light. It can be as light and witty as Sofia Vergara, who played the role of Gloria in the sitcom, Modern Family or it can be as tough as Zoe Zaldana who played Cataleya in the action film Colombiana.
APPEAL AS STRATEGY
The Advertisers were the people, the ones who felt the extremes—whether you’re watching from Colombia or somewhere far away from there. The movie felt grand because it appeals to the household. It appeals to oneself, daring you to become the version of yourself they didn’t expect you to be.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” introduces Mirabel, a 15-year-old who lives with her family in the mountains of Colombia in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. Mirabel, a kind and humble teenager who puts the ordinary in extraordinary, struggles to fit in a family that’s blessed with magical powers. Featuring the voice of Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel, “Encanto” opens in theaters on Nov. 24, 2021. © 2021 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
In these trying times where people struggle to ignite their burning passion within them, where people struggle to be creative and impactful, just know that we embody someone like Mirabel. We are all different versions of Mirabel.
And in an XS manner, Mirabel made it her way to be creative, developed her passion, and served as an inspiration to the kids who asked what her gift was: her influence.
