Put together colorful backdrops, a vibrant soundtrack and a touching family story and you have a story that will make audiences laugh, cry and reflect on life and the world around them. Now add a special spice: the landscapes and culture of Colombia.
so it is “Enchantment”, new Disney animation which opens this Thursday (25) with an imagery and narrative construction totally inspired by the Latin American country. Among the details, there are several elements of Colombian culture incorporated in the film, from the architecture and vegetation to the details of the food, gestures and clothes of the characters.
The film tells the story of the Madrigals, a family who live in the mountains of Colombia in a place called Encanto. Magical, the place blessed all members with extraordinary powers, from super strength to the power of healing.
However, the same did not happen with the young Mirabel, the only one without having her powers touched upon. Despite this, she discovers that the magic that surrounds Encanto is in danger and, even without an extraordinary gift, acts to reverse the threat and maintain the characteristics of the place and its family members.
The animation is directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush, director and co-director of Oscar-winning film “Zootopia”, who made a real expedition in Colombia to discover the regional culture. Spoiler: ended up falling in love with the country.
“It’s really unexpected, it’s like having five countries in one. No matter where we went, everything was very different. Cartagena was very different from Bogotá, for example, as was the coffee region, Salento and the Cocora Valley”, says Byron in reference to the cities and regions that inspired the film.
The Colombia of “Enchantment”
The pre-production of “Encanto” dates back five years, when the directors were looking for a place in the Latin America to talk to the story they wanted to develop. It was in 2018 that the team landed on the neighboring country to Brazil to explore and absorb the surroundings.
“What they discovered was really a cultural crossroads within the country. It became an option to focus on Colombia, as we knew that we could represent a lot of its diversity in the film”, says Yvette Merino, producer of “Encanto”.
Several locations in the Latin American country were visited, which generated several inspirations gathered to give life to the animation. The capital Bogota e Cartagena, a port city on the Caribbean coast, mainly inspired the architectural details, such as the colonial-style houses with balconies with wooden balustrades.
the small town of Barichara, in northeastern Colombia, and Salento, which is part of the coffee axis route in the department of Quindio, served as examples for the creation of the village and the main home, called Casa Madrigal – a house with its own life with several rooms, flowers, balconies and a large patio.
With just under 8,000 inhabitants, Salento is permeated by the green valleys of the coffee-growing area, surrounded by natural beauty and colorful colonial architecture, where everyday life takes place in a simple and full of tradition. According to the animation team, the Madrigals’ house would be located there, among the vegetation and valleys of the small town.
In this place that is also the Vale do Cocora, which inspired the overall look of the film. located in the call coffee axis (“eje cafetero”), a region that concentrates most of Colombia’s coffee production, the valley is regarded as one of the country’s natural wonders. It is a preserved place in the midst of a mountainous landscape of intense green crossed by rivers, dirt roads and animals.
It is in the Cocora Valley that the tree that is the national symbol grows, the Wax Palm, which reaches up to 60 meters in height, lives for hundreds of years and is considered the largest palm tree in the world. Natural of the rainforests of Colombia and the Peru, the tall, thin-stemmed plants are also portrayed in the film.
As a result, the team had to be careful not to fall into stereotypes that, contrary to expectations, could create a negative representation of Colombia. Getting to know the place in depth and working side by side with specialists and residents was the way out.
“We were taken there to spend a lot of time, we really got a real sense of the country and the people. And most importantly, we made some amazing friends that have helped us since then. It’s been five years learning and spending what we know, understanding the history, but also the history of this country that inspired the film”, categorizes Jared Bush.
cultural heritage
After researching and interacting with local residents, the choice of Colombia as the backdrop for the narrative was essential to the heart of the film: the family. “Enchantment” explores the interesting but complicated relationships within families, and, as co-director Jared Bush explains, is a story of how even those closest to us sometimes don’t see us.
Among the trips they made to Colombia, director Byron Howard highlights that one of the highlights was the welcoming way they were received. “We also love the diversity we find in Colombian families. We knew that we would have a dozen members of the Madrigal family and that we would represent everyone in the house. We loved that everyone looked and felt different, everyone is very specific. That was amazing for us”, he points out.
As the team points out, it is not uncommon to find a house in Colombia with several generations, a detail represented in the film and also on the walls with family trees as paintings.
Madrigal House
Speaking of housing, the main house in the film is like a character with a life of its own. “If we didn’t have the house as a character, we would miss a good opportunity,” says Byron. Very colorful, it reflects the differences of each one, protecting its residents and being a refuge in everyday life.
Local architects helped to understand how traditional Colombian houses were made, which was reflected in the film. The technique used in the construction of the house was rammed earth, or, as they call it, “apisonada”.
With this, it is built from gigantic blocks made on the spot, in which a wooden mold is taken and attached to the wall, then placing earth around it. The doors and windows are supported at the top by wooden boards that protrude outwards, giving the dwellings a characteristic appearance.
Typical meals
In the film, the kitchen of the house also plays a central role, being the domain of Juliet, Mirabel’s mother, who has the power of healing through food. The room was portrayed with references to Colombian kitchens of the time, such as a water pump, a wood oven and corn hanging to dry.
It is there that you can see the character kneading the dough to make the arepas, typical Colombian food that plays a leading role in animation. The reason for this? “They’re delicious!” jokes Jared Bush.
“When we were there, everywhere we went they ate delicious arepas. I would say it’s the only food that’s specifically mentioned in the movie,” he says. Other typical foods, however, can be seen between scenes. At the dinner table, for example, the family eats ajiaco (potato and chicken soup) and various empanadas e fritters (Dough in round or elongated shape that can be fried or baked and contain different fillings).
As Charise Casto Smith, co-director and screenwriter of “Encanto” says, it would be impossible to portray animation anywhere else. “Research, culture and music, in particular, were key elements in making this film. For me, the main blocks of the story were made of Colombian influences”, he declares.
“Encanto” hits cinemas worldwide on November 25th. Check out the trailer!
Reference: CNN Brasil
