MADRID, Spain – Encanto, the latest film of Walt Disney Animation Studios, has won the 2022 Golden Globe in the category of Best Film – Animation and the hit song from the film, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” is number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The movie is set in Colombia and inspired by real-life locations and cultural expressions. Let’s go through some of them.′
The Madrigal house—the story’s epicenter and where most of the film’s magic occurs—is a hacienda inspired by houses found in Cartagena, Salento, and Barichara. In fact, the creative team took approximately two years to design it, since they considered many different examples in order to create the perfect family environment.
Other cultural references that viewers will see are Colombian coffee, the country’s most globally recognized and awarded drink, which is served in cups from Carmen de Viboral—a Colombian municipality popular for its colorful tableware.
Additionally, some of the characters carry Wayuu mochilas (woven bags)—made by indigenous people located in La Guajira (northern Colombia)—or wear ponchos and ruanas (typical clothing from various regions of the country) while in iconic places in Cartagena (UNESCO-declared Historical and Cultural Heritage of Humanity) as well as Barichara and Villa de Leyva, which are among Colombia’s heritage towns.
As for Colombia’s biodiversity, the Valle del Cocora, located in the Coffee Cultural Landscape and recognized for its tall wax palms, is one of the places shown in the movie.
Orchids of all colors and sizes also appear; in fact, Colombia is the global leader for the most types of orchids. In addition, the characters are accompanied by animals such as chigüiros, tapirs, coatis, and jaguars, often seen in Colombia’s Amazon-Orinoquía region. They are also seen with macaws, toucans, and hummingbirds, highlighting the fact that Colombia is also a global leader in terms of bird diversity, with more than 1,900 species.
Another central theme in Encanto is the inclusion and diversity of cultures and races, since the characters represent the ethnic groups in Colombia, a country where approximately 4% of its population belongs to more than 110 indigenous peoples; around 10% belongs to the Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and Palenquero populations; more than 60% to mestizos; as well as smaller groups such as gypsies. In addition, there are 68 native languages spoken by about 850,000 people.
