we dO TAlk ABOUT encAnTO

Reporter Isaac Rios reviews of one of Disney’s bestselling films

ARTICLE BY ISAAC RIOS • ILLUSTRATIONS BY ZAINAB SHAIKH AND DEVEN MANGAR • DESIGN BY SHIBANI GHOSH

Editor’s note: this article contains spoilers for “Encanto.”

When I saw the “Encanto” commercial on TV, I thought to myself, “Great! Another movie that’ll probably do a poor job with representation. What animal will they turn the characters into this time?”

But after watching “Encanto” with my family, I came out excited. “Encanto” is one of my favorite movies that Disney has released so far because of the portrayal of generational trauma in Latino communities, as well as the absence of a traditional “villain,” a style found in the Disney film “Coco” as well.

I first thought “Encanto” would be about a random family that lived in a magical house in Colombia, but this magical realism has significance to the story. “Encanto,” released on Nov. 24, 2021, centers around the Madrigals—a family blessed with supernatural powerscome from a candle that was enchanted after Abuela Madrigal’s husband, Pedro Madrigal, was murdered by Guerrilla soldiers during the Guerrilla movement in Colombia. Due to the traumatic experiences Abuela goes through, from losing her home to losing her husband, the miracle grants her family gifts which they use to help the village and build their own home.

“Encanto” highlights the way generational trauma affects Latino families. The trauma Abuela experienced is passed on to her children and grandchildren, with Pepa Madrigal, one of Abuela’s children, being affected heavily. In an attempt to be “perfect” in Abuela’s eyes, Pepa is forced to bottle up her true feelings as to not affect the village and ruin the day because her mood and emotions influence the weather. Like the Madrigals, my family has experienced generational trauma. When my mom was a child, many of my aunts and uncles were on the brink of poverty and had lost their jobs. Due to these circumstances, they chose to immigrate to the United States. Because of their immigration journey, my grandparents had exceptional expectations, including expecting their children to help around the house while working to support themselves.

The trauma in “Encanto” also affects Luisa, the middle child with super strength. Luisa is burdened by all tasks that help the village; she never takes time to relax, which overwhelms her. Her song “Surface Pressure” details how hard it is to help the village and most importantly, manage her grandmother’s expectations.

Isabela, the eldest child, grows beautiful flowers and is portrayed as the “golden child” due to her perceived “perfection.” Abuela sets high expectations for Isabela, as she wants Isabela to have a perfect life—a life she was deprived of. Isabela does everything she can to be perfect and please Abuela. In “What Else Can I Do?”, Isabela experiments with her gift to see what other imperfect plants she can grow, after growing perfect and pretty flowers the majority of her life. Finally, Mirabel, the main character, is the only one who does not receive a gift, which makes her feel unappreciated and unworthy. It prompts her to “save the miracle” to stop the house from crumbling before the family loses their home. Mirabel seeks validation because she didn’t receive a gift, an effect similar to some Latino families when the role of “favorite” is placed on the child who meets their standards. This label is one of the most toxic things to encounter as a child and it’s time to dismantle that label. Disney decided to approach this storyline by incorporating magical realism, a crucial aspect of Latin American culture dating back to pre-colonial times where stories were told through indigenous folk tales and myth. This tradition can be seen through the Madrigals’ gifts that were normalized by the village to be a part of everyday life. The magical realism adds a sense of cultural authenticity; it makes me feel heard despite not being Colombian. Additionally, there is a brief moment when Agustín says “Miércoles” (which directly translates to Wednesday in Spanish). “Miércoles” is used as a Colombian alternative to the curse word “mierda.” I really like that Disney used this expression; it is something cultural that really inspired me to look more into Colombian idioms. Disney also depicts Colombian food like arepas, which made me want to try them after watching the film.

So there you have it—one of the best movies to come out of 2021. I repeatedly stream it on Disney Plus and jam to the songs along with my siblings. Disney crafted a masterpiece this time, and I hope they continue to make bangers like “Encanto.”