Disney’s Encanto A True Hispanic Dream

Synopsis

 “Encanto,” tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charming place called Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz).

But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope. Released on Nov. 24, 2021, the film features all-new songs by Emmy®, GRAMMY® and Tony Award® winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “Moana”) and is directed by Byron Howard (“Zootopia,” “Tangled”) and Jared Bush (co-director “Zootopia”), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (writer “The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez”), and produced by Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino; Bush and Castro Smith are screenwriters on the film.

La Cultura/The Culture

If you have not seen the film you need to, and I have to tell you guys. As a Hispanic mom, as a Hispanic family, I was overjoyed with how proud it was to see a family that resembled my own on-screen. Now for some, it may not be a big deal, however, this is the first time that we are seeing a Disney film that is true to what Latin America is!

Being from Panama this holds such a special place in my heart, the Madrigals are from Colombia my neighbors, and yet some of the customs and the way our family bonds are basically the same. I was also taken back by how much Maribel the main character resembles me, with curly hair, glasses, and even curves!!

I loved how many of the traditions were showcased in the film, from traditional outfits to the way houses have Spanish tile, the food, and even the fauna and wildlife are portrayed La Cultura was there.

La Familia/The Family

What I loved about Encanto was how the movie is highly based on the family unit, being a Hispanic family is everything to us. In the film, Abuela is the head of the family, and for me, that holds dear to my heart as my grandma was the head of our family for years after my grandpa died. In a way the Madrigals resemble my family a lot, we have been through heartache, separation, and reconciliation.

The storyline was on point with the film, from showcasing how different family members had different gifts to how Maribel is trying to see if she has a gift. Disney really hit on the family dynamic in a unique way. My kids also understood everything that was going on in the film and in certain cases would laugh at certain things and even cry during certain scenes that were very touching.

I recently learned a bit more about “Encanto’s” storyline from Charise Castro Smith who was the screenwriter for the film. Me and a couple of other media outlets had the opportunity to speak with Charise on how the story came to be, and give us a bit more insight on “La Familia Madrigal”! Check it out!

Para Toda La Familia/For The Whole Family

Encanto is a movie that is for the whole family we took my 81-year-old mother-in-law with us and she loved it, while she isn’t Hispanic she said she felt connected to the film in the way she grew up. The kids really enjoyed the music in the film, and for some reason, my little one felt really connected to the character of Bruno, while my oldest loved all of the characters.

Being a mom I related to Julieta who is Maribel’s mom a lot, I just wish I had the same healing powers she did! The animation was also amazing, just being able to see every detail and gesture we loved how much everything came to life. Casita is the star of the movie, as it should be since we all have a place we call home.

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