Encanto

 

Yesterday I attended a Duolingo event where we watched and discussed the trailer for the new Disney movie Encanto. It's about a girl, Madrigal, who lives in a magic town in Columbia, in a magic house, with her magic family but she doesn't have any magical powers of her own.

Normally, I would watch and enjoy this movie at its most basic level. The theme song is fun and happy and sung by Carlos Vives, who I love. But it was interesting to discuss it at another level with people from Columbia.

Disney gives a nod to 'magical realism' a style of writing used by the Columbian writer Gabriel Garcia Márquez in his book 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'. He defines magical realism as 'finding the magic in our existing world'. I'll have to put this one on my list to read.

It was also interesting to hear that each of the kids is dressed to represent the different regions of Columbia and that the vibrant colors of the houses are similar to some of the towns like this one. How fun!

Guatape, Columbia