The Enchantment of Encanto
Set in Colombia, “Encanto” narrates the story of the Madrigals, a family who's blessed with an enchantment after tragedy struck their family. Supplied with various breath-taking “gifts”, the Madrigals take on the challenge of the threat to the enchantment’s magic, specifically 15-year-old Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz). Mirabel travels through the enchantment’s refuge and their Casita, determined to unveil and defeat the threat, although she has no gift.
The Oscar-Winning Animated Film “Encanto” took the stage in November 2021. Awaiting the release of “Encanto'“, I looked forward to watching the film after viewing its magnificent trailer. Completely unaware of the vibrant visuals, subjective songs, dauntless dialogue, and polished plot soon to be revealed, I was stunned by this tremendous film.
Disney designed a personal reflection of what it is to be in a Latinx family, regardless of its many smaller communities. It emphasized the expectations and conflicts that are common in the community. Disney completely defied its usual comfort zone with this brilliant film. It opened a window of diversity, conflict, and the reality of being Latinx while incorporating its magical touch. Previously, in “Coco” Disney reflected on the culture of the Latinx family, such as ofrendas and the afterlife; they continue to draw in closer to the culture with “Encanto”.
The film also features many representations of the various appearances of the Latinx community. We see many different skin tones and hair types present throughout the Latinx community but rarely correctly represented throughout the film. The Madrigals, Julieta (Angie Cepeda), Bruno (John Leguizamo), and Pepa (Carolina Gaitan) are prime examples. Julieta appears with black wavy hair and a warmer brown skin tone. Bruno appears with darker black curly hair and a lighter shade of brown as a skin tone. The shocker to everyone was Pepa Madrigal. She stands tall, with lengthy ginger hair and a very fair skin tone. All of this while he was a set of triplets. The diverse representation expands when we are introduced to many more Madrigals, such as Antonio. Pepa’s 5-year-old son, Antonio, who receives his gift in the film, presents a different outlook of Latinx representation with a gracious dark brown skin tone and curls that defy gravity in the form of an afro. The list goes on and on.
Overall, “Encanto” is a tremendous film, with a fantastic plot, beautiful characters, a great storyline, and so much more. The movie shines a light on the various appearances of the Latinx people and the many different aspects of what it is to be Latinx. It was a massive step for Disney and an outstanding achievement for the Latinx community.
I look forward to more of this bold and beautiful representation from Disney and this movie on repeat.