Encanto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Encanto |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by | Germaine Franco |
| Cinematography |
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| Editing by | Jeremy Milton |
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| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 3, 2021 (El Capitan Theatre) November 24, 2021 (United States) |
| Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
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| Budget | $120–150 million |
| Money made | $256.8 million |
Encanto is a fun computer-animated musical fantasy comedy movie. It was made by Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2021. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures released it. This was the 60th animated movie from Disney.
The film was directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard. Charise Castro Smith helped direct too. Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer were the producers. The amazing songs were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The story was created by Bush, Howard, Castro Smith, Jason Hand, and Nancy Kruse.
Encanto features the voices of many talented actors. These include Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, and John Leguizamo. The movie is about the Madrigals, a special family from Colombia. They are led by their grandmother, Alma.
Almost everyone in the family gets a magical gift. These gifts help them serve their community, called the Encanto. But Mirabel Madrigal (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) does not receive a gift. When Mirabel finds out the family's magic is fading, she tries to save them. She also tries to save their magical house, Casita.
Encanto first showed in Los Angeles on November 3, 2021. It came out in the United States on November 24. The movie was praised for its characters and music. People also loved the animation and voice acting. Many called Encanto a cultural hit.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It also received many other awards. The movie's soundtrack was very popular. Songs like "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and "Surface Pressure" became huge hits. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" even reached number one on music charts.
Contents
What is the Story of Encanto?
The story begins with Pedro and Alma Madrigal. They are a young couple with three babies. An old conflict makes them leave their home in Colombia. Pedro is lost during this journey. But a miracle happens with Alma's candle. It becomes magical and protects her. This miracle also creates Casita, a living house for the family. Casita is in Encanto, a magical place surrounded by mountains.
Fifty years later, a new village has grown. The candle's magic gives each Madrigal child a special gift at age five. They use these gifts to help the villagers. However, Bruno, who can see the future, disappeared ten years ago. People blamed him for bad things. Mirabel, Julieta's youngest daughter, never got a gift.
On the night Antonio, Pepa's youngest son, gets his gift, Mirabel sees something strange. Casita starts cracking, and the candle's flame flickers. But no one else sees it. Mirabel decides to save the magic. She talks to her strong older sister, Luisa. Luisa feels very stressed by her duties. Luisa suggests that Bruno's old room might hold a clue.
Mirabel goes into Bruno's forbidden tower room. She finds a cave and barely escapes with pieces of a green glass tablet. Outside, Luisa's super strength starts to weaken. Mirabel puts the tablet back together. It shows a picture of her with Casita cracking behind her.
Later, Mirabel's oldest sister, Isabela, is supposed to get engaged. Isabela can make plants and flowers grow. During the dinner, Dolores, who has super hearing, tells everyone about Mirabel's vision. The night is ruined. Casita cracks more, and everyone's gifts go wild.
Mirabel follows some rats and finds a secret passage. There, she finds Bruno. Bruno says he never left the house. He explains his vision: Mirabel either saves or destroys Casita. He thought she would destroy it, so he broke the tablet. Mirabel convinces Bruno to show another vision. It shows her hugging Isabela and making the candle stronger.
Mirabel apologizes to Isabela. Isabela admits she does not want to marry Mariano. She feels burdened by always being "perfect." Mirabel helps Isabela use her powers in new ways. They hug, and the candle glows brighter. But Alma sees them and blames Mirabel for the family's problems.
Mirabel finally confronts Alma. She says Alma sees her as a disappointment. Mirabel also says Alma puts too much pressure on everyone. Their argument causes a huge crack in the mountain. Casita falls apart, and the candle goes out. The Madrigals lose their magic. A sad Mirabel runs away.
Alma finds Mirabel by the river where Pedro died. Alma tells Mirabel about her past. She explains how she tried to protect the magic. But she realizes her high expectations hurt the family. Alma takes responsibility for her actions. Mirabel and Alma make up.
With Bruno, they return to the village. The Madrigals and townsfolk work together to rebuild Casita. Mirabel puts a new doorknob on the main door. This restores the family's gifts and brings Casita back to life. Mirabel and Bruno then join the family for a new photo.
Who are the Voices in Encanto?
Many talented actors lent their voices to the characters. Here are some of the main ones:
- Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel Madrigal: She is the 15-year-old main character. Unlike her family, she has no special gift. Director Jared Bush said she is "imperfect and weird."
- Noemi Josefina Flores voices Mirabel when she is 5 years old.
- María Cecilia Botero as Abuela Alma Madrigal: She is Mirabel's 75-year-old grandmother. She is the leader of the family.
- Olga Merediz sings for Alma.
- John Leguizamo as Bruno Madrigal: He is Mirabel's 50-year-old uncle. He can see the future. He was seen as an outcast.
- Mauro Castillo as Félix Madrigal: He is Mirabel's uncle and Pepa's husband. Bush said Félix is "just there to have a good time!"
- Jessica Darrow as Luisa Madrigal: She is Mirabel's 19-year-old sister. Luisa has superhuman strength. She is the tallest in the family.
- Angie Cepeda as Julieta Madrigal: She is Mirabel's 50-year-old mother. Julieta can heal people with her cooking.
- Carolina Gaitán as Pepa Madrigal: She is Mirabel's 50-year-old aunt. Pepa's mood controls the weather. She often causes rain or storms.
- Diane Guerrero as Isabela Madrigal: She is Mirabel's 21-year-old oldest sister. Isabela can make flowers bloom anywhere. Director Byron Howard called her "perfect."
- Wilmer Valderrama as Agustín Madrigal: He is Mirabel's father. Bush described him as "accident-prone."
- Rhenzy Feliz as Camilo Madrigal: He is Pepa and Félix's 15-year-old son. Camilo can shapeshift.
- Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Antonio Madrigal: He is Pepa and Félix's 5-year-old son. Antonio can talk to animals. He looks up to Mirabel.
- Adassa as Dolores Madrigal: She is Pepa and Félix's 21-year-old daughter. Dolores has super-hearing.
- Maluma as Mariano Guzman: He is Isabela's fiancé. He is also the Madrigal family's neighbor.
Other voices include Alan Tudyk as Pico, a toucan.
How was Encanto Made?
Developing the Story
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The idea for Encanto started around 2016. Directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush wanted to make a musical. They decided on a Latin-American musical after Lin-Manuel Miranda joined. They had worked on "buddy films" before. This time, they wanted to try something new.
The three men talked about their own large families. They decided to make a movie about a big family with many main characters. For five years, the main idea was about how families see each other. They realized that most people feel misunderstood by their families. They also found that many carry hidden burdens.
Miranda suggested that Latin-American music would be perfect. It could show the complexity of family relationships. The team also talked to therapists and psychologists. This helped them understand family dynamics.
Researching Colombian Culture
Howard and Bush learned a lot about Latin American culture. They worked with Juan Rendon and Natalie Osma, who are from Colombia. Rendon and Osma shared their experiences with Colombian culture. This made the team focus their research on Colombia. They hired several Colombian experts. These experts formed the "Colombian Cultural Trust."
In 2018, Howard, Bush, and Miranda visited Colombia. They spent two weeks meeting architects, chefs, and artists. They wanted to learn all about the country's culture. They visited big cities like Bogotá and Cartagena. But they also found inspiration in small towns. These included Salento (for terrain) and Barichara (for buildings).
Bush noticed that each town had its own unique feel. This was because of the mountains that separated them. This idea of isolation became important for the Madrigals' home. Their home is in a "remote 'encanto'." This means a "charmed" or blessed place. It is where magic and reality mix.
In Barichara, they met Alejandra Espinosa Uribe. She was a tour guide. They later hired her to check the film's historical details. Espinosa Uribe inspired parts of Mirabel's character. This included her curly black hair and glasses. Mirabel's skirt design was inspired by traditional Colombian skirts.
The movie's setting is not specific. But it takes ideas from early 20th-century Colombia. The country had a war called the Thousand Days' War. This caused many villagers to flee their homes. This event is shown in the film.
Writing the Script
The film's story became very complex. It had a whole family, many songs, and a rich culture. Howard and Bush needed another writer. They chose Charise Castro Smith. She was good at writing about "magical realism." She also understood "real-world family dynamics." Castro Smith wanted to create a unique and human character in Mirabel.
Disney Animation was at first hesitant about having so many main characters. Miranda wrote the opening song, "The Family Madrigal," to show them it was possible. This song quickly introduces the large family. The filmmakers worked hard to make the family feel real. They wanted to give each character a meaningful story.
The team wanted to show that family members are more complex than they seem. Each Madrigal family member is based on a common family type. For example, Isabela is like the "golden child." Luisa is like the "rock" of the family. This made each gift feel natural. It was tied to their emotions and personality.
Like most Disney films, Encanto changed a lot during development. Many ideas were tried and then removed. For example, Mirabel was originally trying to find her magical gift. Also, Isabela once had a "dorky" suitor. But the main idea always stayed the same. It was about the relationship between Mirabel and Alma.
Choosing the Voices
Disney chose many actors with Colombian backgrounds. This included Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo, and Wilmer Valderrama. Alan Tudyk is known as Disney's "good luck charm." He has a small role as Pico, a toucan. Tudyk even spent hours making different toucan noises for the part.
Designing the Characters and World
The animators faced a big challenge. They had to create twelve fully developed characters. This was more complex than other animated films. Edna Liliana Valencia Murillo helped with the designs. She focused on the Afro-Caribbean characters like Félix and Antonio.
The characters' clothes were designed to look like they came from Colombia. They are loose and have embroidery. Each costume is unique and looks handmade. Colors show family ties. Pepa and Félix's family wear warm colors like orange and yellow. Julieta and Agustín's family wear cool colors like blue and green. Alma wears darker colors.
Each Madrigal has a symbol on their clothes. This shows their gift. For example, Luisa has barbells on her skirt. Mirabel, who has no gift, has symbols of other family members' gifts on her skirt. The villagers wear neutral colors. This makes the Madrigal family stand out with their bright clothes.
Bringing it to Life with Animation
The directors wanted Mirabel to be different from other Disney heroines. She had to be capable but also imperfect. Casita, the house, was inspired by Colombian homes. It was also inspired by films where houses come alive.
Music, dance, and rhythm are very important in Colombia. So, Encanto was the first Disney film to have choreographers involved from the start. They worked on songs, characters, and the story. They created different dance styles for different characters. Luisa's style is reggaeton, and Mirabel's is Cali salsa.
A Colombian botanist, Felipe Zapata, helped with the plants and flowers. His advice made sure the plants Isabela creates were accurate. Over 800 people worked on Encanto. Many animators worked remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What About the Soundtrack?
Lin-Manuel Miranda started writing the music in June 2020. He wrote eight original songs in both Spanish and English. Germaine Franco also helped with the film's score.
The Encanto (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) came out on November 19, 2021. It was a huge success. The soundtrack reached number one on the US Billboard 200. This was the first Disney soundtrack to do so since Frozen II (2019).
The song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" broke many records. It became one of Disney's most successful songs ever. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. This made Encanto the first Disney film to have both a number-one song and a number-one album.
How was Encanto Released?
Marketing and Promotion
Disney first showed a sneak peek of the film in December 2020. The first trailer came out in July 2021. People loved Luisa's strong appearance in the trailer. She was even called the "Buff Lady." The official trailer was released in September 2021.
Disney spent a lot of money on TV ads for the movie. Some felt the marketing did not make Encanto stand out enough. They thought it seemed too much like Coco. Also, much of the merchandise only featured Mirabel and Isabela. Other Madrigal family members were harder to find.
Showing in Theaters and at Home
Encanto had its world premiere in Los Angeles on November 3, 2021. It also premiered in Bogotá, Colombia, on November 23. The movie was released in US theaters on November 24. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it played in theaters for 30 days. Then, it was released on Disney+ on December 24.
The film was shown with a short film called Far from the Tree. Encanto was re-released in cinemas in February 2022. This was because it became so popular on Disney+ and got Academy Award nominations.
Encanto was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on February 8, 2022. It included bonus features like "Let's Talk About Bruno" and "Our Casita." Since its Disney+ release, Encanto has been very popular. It was the most-watched film of 2022 on streaming.
Other Encanto Adventures
Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl
Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl is a live musical show. It happened in 2022. Lin-Manuel Miranda hosted it. Some of the film's voice actors performed the songs. A filmed version of the show was released on Disney+ in December 2022.
Video Games
Mirabel was added to the game Disney Dreamlight Valley in February 2023. She became one of the villagers. A small version of Casita, called "Mini Casita," became her home.
In the game Disney Magic Kingdoms, Mirabel, Bruno, Isabela, Luisa, and Antonio were added. They became playable characters. Casita and Isabela's Room were added as attractions.
What's Next for Encanto?
The directors, Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith, are open to a possible Disney+ series. Bush would like to see a show about any family member. Castro Smith said Miranda was very interested in a show about Dolores. Disney CEO Bob Chapek called Encanto a new "franchise" for the company. This means it could have more movies or shows in the future.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Encanto (película) para niños
