There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Disney’s latest movie “Encanto”, which showcases Colombian culture.

The representation of the culture is quite accurate, a big improvement compared to how Disney has depicted other cultures in past films. 

Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, who co-wrote the script with Charise Castro Smith, wanted to set their story in Colombia. 

There is a lot of relevance between the movie and recent events in Colombia, where many families have lost their homes due to natural disasters and regional conflicts. Many Colombian families might connect with this film because of the Madrigal family’s representation of those desperately trying to find and keep a home.

In the beginning of the movie, Abuela and her husband are seen fleeing from a war and trying to find a home. Many Colombians were in  Abuela and her husband’s situation during the 1,000 Days War that lasted in Colombia from Oct. 17, 1899 to Nov. 21, 1902.  

This experience was depicted well in the movie. 

Along with historical accuracy, “Encanto” provides a surprisingly balanced representation of Colombia’s Black, indigenous and Spaniard people. Many Afro-Latinos were happy to see themselves being represented in “Encanto” since they rarely get any representation.  

“It was like a breath of fresh air,” Emillianna Puello, an Indiana University senior, said in an interview with Indiana Daily Student. 

There isn’t much representation of Puello’s race in the media. She explains people are confused how she can be both Black and Latina. For Afro-Latinos, the representation in “Encanto” was crucial. 

“Encanto” also had several cultural references such as orchids, which are Colombia’s national flower. The Madrigal’s and other residents in their town shared a love for coffee,  which is very common among Colombians, even children.  

Mirabel’s character design was inspired by Espinosa Uribe, a Latin American author with dark curly hair, bookish personality, and glasses. Mirabel’s skirt was inspired by the traditional skirts woven in Vélez, a town in northeastern Colombia. Even the clothing worn by the characters showed Colombian culture.

Arepas, a staple food in Colombia, were also a staple food in the movie. Julieta Madrigal, Mirabel’s mother, is shown several times healing people with her healing Arepas. In the opening song, a whole tray of Buñelos, similar to cheese fritters, can be spotted near Mirabel.

“Encanto” emphasizes the importance of family that the Madrigals push. Several generations of a family live in the same house, which is unusual in the West, but common in Latin America. Disney portrayed this aspect of the value of family very well in the movie.

Disney has come a long way since they started to represent different cultures in their films. One of their first films depicting a foreign culture was a disaster. “Aladdin” was released in 1992 and was culturally problematic. To this date, no one really knows what culture “Aladdin” is based off of. Is it Arab or Persian? Or maybe Indian? 

While the cultures of the Middle East and South Asian regions differ, Disney mixed them together. Jasmine, which is of  Persian origin, and Aladdin, which is of Arabic origin, causes confusion as to what culture “Aladdin” represents.     

But Disney has been getting better with their representation. “Moana”, released in 2016, shows a way better representation of a different culture and Polynesians were very happy with the film. 

According to some Polynesians, Moana symbolizes their culture well. 

“Moana was the model of a real Poly – thick hair, not really petite, big eyes, and always running around barefoot!” Buzzfeed’s Robert Fale wrote in an article for his publication. “Most Polys do talk non-verbally which is what we saw Maui do a lot… using his eyebrows to answer.”

“Encanto will be a unique showcase that, in addition to delighting millions of spectators, will increase interest in our country in all corners of the world,” said the ProColombia President, Flavia Santoro in an interview with Today.In.24.  

People are becoming more familiar with a country they have never heard of because of a Disney movie.