"We don't talk about Bruno…" The song that has been in animation lovers’ minds, ever since the release of the movie Encanto back in November, has not left yet. We Don't Talk About Bruno became Disney's most popular song in 26 years, beating Frozen's Let It Go. The Encanto story is about the Madrigals, a family that looks like many families around the world, but one that enchanted (pun intended) their way into viewers' homes and hearts. The film took the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at this year’s Academy Awards, consecrating its place as one of the best recent Disney movies.
With the melodic rhythms and heartfelt lyrics, Lin-Manuel Miranda translated a tough story into songs that are impossible to stop listening to. Family dynamics, intergenerational trauma, and traumatic events are only a few things Lin-Manuel tackles in his songs. The soundtrack heavily incorporates all the elements that everyone loves in his work: interesting melodies, overlapping singers, and, of course, rap.
Encanto tells the story of a Colombian family, the Madrigals. After a traumatic loss during the Colombian civil war, the family receives a gift: everyone has powers. Well, everyone except the protagonist of this story, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz). The young girl will soon learn that superpowers sometimes come in the form of more mundane things than super strength or the ability to make flowers bloom. This movie influenced various people to seek help from therapists due to the family problems it presents. Here is what therapists are saying about the family dynamics presented in Encanto.
Family Dynamics
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The Madrigals are a big family and, like most large families in real life, the family members couldn't be more different. This can lead to a lot of conflicts. It can also make everyone receive a role (especially due to their superpowers) that they have to fulfill.
Family therapist and YouTuber Steph Anya breaks down the dynamics present in the movie and the roles of each character. There are some obvious ones like Luisa, who is 'the strong one.' She plays the part of the family member everyone can rely on, and she is not comfortable being vulnerable. Her opposite would be Pepa, who is 'the emotional one.' Pepa is usually the reflection of everyone's feelings (literally, because her emotions take physical forms around her), but no one talks about them. A more subtle one is Camilo, 'the distracter.' He says jokes and always tries to break up the tension, mostly by shape-shifting. There is 'the nurturer' (Alma), 'the matriarch' (Abuela), 'the perfect one' (Isabela), etc.
Then, there is: 'the one that left.' This is the person who sees things too differently from his or her family to be able to live with them. This person gets blamed for everything that goes wrong because of how they perceive things. This role was Bruno's, who had to leave his home because his power (and therefore who he is) was hurting his family. His departure and the time he lived with his family were so traumatic that there is an unspoken agreement not to talk about him.
Then, after he left, the role became Mirabel's. Her not getting a gift reminds everyone in the family how delicate their situation is. She is blamed because the house is falling apart by Abuela, when in reality, Mirabel is the only one that can save her family because of who she is. Her lack of power is why she can see how everyone is suffering and starts the family's healing journey.
Intergenerational Trauma
Most family dynamics presented in Encanto come with two elements which are often tied together, something the film does well, according to therapists: intergenerational trauma and immigration. As an article in Psychology Today addresses, the audience finds out that the superpowers of the family members have come from a very traumatic event: the death of Abuelo. After being forced to flee their home, Abuela and Abuelo, with three recently born children, suffer an attack during the Colombian Civil war. He gets killed in front of her. This leads to a lot of trauma, not only for Abuela but for her children and grandchildren.
The trauma shaped Abuela and how she dealt with everything she built for her family. The roles she attributed to the family members became so important to her that she lost sight of what they needed. This need for control also comes from having to leave everything behind after losing the man she loved when she was young. That is why she is such a strong presence and makes most of the decisions in the Madrigal household. Abuela's top priority is to protect everyone, and by doing so, she hurts the people around her. Her sadness is deeply embedded in every decision she makes, and it takes a lot of effort for Mirabel to be able to talk to her about it.
Disney And Families
Disney is known for making people cry, especially if one of the best Pixar movies are involved. Encanto is not the first movie to represent complicated family dynamics from families that are not from the US. One of the first ones was Moana, a story about a girl who dreams of adventure in the sea and has to go against her family’s wishes (and traditions) to be her true self. She lives on a fictitious island based on the Polynesians' island and culture. With the death of Moana's grandmother, she decides to go after what she truly desired, and she may be the only thing that can help save her island. Lin-Manuel Miranda also wrote the entire soundtrack for Moana.
Another example is Coco. Coco made everyone sob by the end of the movie. A narrative that explores one of the most important holidays in Mexico, Dia de Los Muertos, this story is as sensitive as it is colorful. While the holiday happens, Miguel gets lost and finds himself on the 'other side.' There he discovers a lot more than his family’s past, but also what is truly important in the present.
There is no denying that family representation has changed a lot over the years, and Disney will continue to make everyone cry and be able to see themselves on screen for a long time to come; some of their best films, like Encanto, have almost been a form of therapy that way.