Encanto was released on the 24th November 2021, and has been a huge hit on screens, especially since it was released on Disney Plus a month later, for families to stream at home. The stunning animation, the catchy tunes, and the vibrant, beautiful representation of Columbian culture have all contributed to its huge success. The film has made just under $234 worldwide, and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film this January.

Another aspect of Encanto which stands it apart from most other Disney films, is it’s diversity. For a while Disney has tried to incorporate characters from a range of ethnic backgrounds in their films, so they appeal to a wider audience. Encanto embraces this inclusion, with the characters encompassing a whole range of skin colours, truly representing the diversity of Colombia.

This film also successfully manages a portrayal of extended family, relatable to so many of us from different cultures, not before seen in Disney. For many people growing up with older Disney films playing; such as Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty; it was familiar to see the portrayal of an only child, with traditional parental figures, and the extended family were never mentioned. However, this has never been a relatable image for many families, such as my own. Encanto, however, is completely different. The Family Madrigal is a huge family, with multiple cousins, aunts, and uncles; all of whom respect Abuela, the eldest member of the family, owner and creator of the single house they all live in. This is an image which is very common not only in Latina families, such as the one portrayed in the movie, but also families from other ethnicities, such as the South Asian community to which I belong. Large families all living in the same house, and having a close relationship with cousins, and aunts and uncles is an aspect of my culture I cherish.

Tío Bruno is another feature of families who are generally underrepresented in Disney films. The estranged uncle is a common feature in these extended families, one who no one really knows about, and generally no one mentions. This common and familiar occurrence is portrayed in one of the catchiest songs in the film ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’.

In films (especially Disney films which are familiar on screen), people tend to overlook societal and family pressure which can occur, especially in large families such as the one in Encanto. However, the directors of this movie don’t dismiss this key theme either, and actually embrace this part of family life; representing this feeling of expectation and overcoming it in two songs ‘Surface Pressure’, and ‘What Else Can I Do’.

Also, Isabella’s marriage to Mariano, was another key example of the realistic portrayal of family life, outside the usual contents of a Disney film. The fact that the whole family was involved in Mariano’s proposal, and how they were all present and preparing, is something that is very common in ethnically diverse families in particular, but is never included in films. During Encanto, Isabella reveals that she didn’t actually love Mariano, and that the marriage was for the family benefit, and responsibility. This is a topic which is very much overlooked, especially in films, and I think it is important that people are made aware of the different approaches to marriage in different cultures.

As you can tell, I’m a huge fan! Well done Disney, great to see I’m not the only one who is part of a huge crazy family.. and yes, we don’t talk about ‘Bruno’ either!