Growing up in the early 2000s, there was a common theme in all Disney movies: the girl falls in love or needs to be saved, and the man comes in to save her or confess his love. If there was anything outside of this, it most likely wasn’t glamorized. Disney eventually started to branch out more and created different types of stories. Frozen, for example, showed that true love does not have to come from a romantic relationship, as Anna ended up saving her sister from her love. Disney took another step with Coco, moving away from the typical storyline and introducing Mexican culture, Día de los Muertos, and the importance of family. Through Miguel’s story, Coco shows how culture and family traditions can affect who we are.
Coco’s storyline follows Miguel, a 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a musician, even though his family has banned music for generations. On Día de los Muertos, Miguel tries to pursue this passion and ends up being transported to the Land of the Dead and meets his deceased relatives from different generations. While trying to return home, he learns more about his family’s history and discovers that some of the stories he was told were not true. Coco ends with Miguel with bringing the whole family back together well also bringing even greater meaning to the day.
Disney moving away from stereotypical storylines has great potential for future generations. Kids can create judgments about things they are unfamiliar with or do not understand. Coco introduces children to traditions such as ofrendas and shows how important it is to have pictures of family members on them. It also shows the importance of marigold flowers and the path they create for loved ones to return. Hector cannot cross because his picture is not on the ofrenda.
The movie also shows decorated sugar skulls and many other traditions in a natural way. By introducing children to these traditions, movies like Coco can help reduce judgment and encourage acceptance as children grow up. Although Coco should not be viewed as a historical movie, it provides an outlet for children to learn about and appreciate traditions that may be different from their own, even if Día de los Muertos is not celebrated in their home or by their classmates.
Outside of helping children who are unfamiliar with a culture learn about it, it is also important for children to see their own culture represented in films and in the larger film industry. Movies such as Encanto, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Soul continue to bring different cultures and experiences to younger audiences. Younger children seeing their culture and traditions represented in films also gives them a sense of pride in where they come from. I think, as a generation, we should be excited to see how this affects the next generation and how expressive and accepting they will be of the people and cultures around them