Pixar Makes Statement with ‘Luca’ Release During Pride Month
Image from Disney-Pixar’s Luca. (Courtesy USA Today)
June 21, 2021
Disney-Pixar’s latest feature film “Luca” follows a young sea monster by the same name, who is curious about life above water. Even when his parents warn him against going to see the humans, his curiosity overtakes him. In his scavenge on the shore, he befriends a fellow sea monster, Alberto, who introduces Luca to his new dream: owning a Vespa.
After realizing how much they have in common, they decide to take the leap and live life amongst humans. Quickly, the two realize that the Italian town they visit is anti-sea monster, so they have to hide their true selves in order to fit in and most importantly, survive.
This charming tale was created through Disney and Pixar studios by Enrico Casarosa, Jesse Andrews and Simon Stephenson along with many other animators, producers and directors. Casarosa, who also took on the role of head director, said that portions of the film were inspired by his own childhood.
A Hidden Message?
Was it a coincidence that “Luca” was released during Pride month? The entire movie felt like a metaphor for the struggles of LGBTQ+ youth finding their way through an unaccepting world. It has been stated that the relationship between Luca and Alberto is strictly “platonic,” but the dialogue surrounding Luca’s differences puts forth the notion that the heart of this story is bigger than the friendship of two boys.
When Luca’s parents find out he has been going above water, they become fearful for his safety and want to send him to deep water. It can be recognized that this is “for his own good,” but it felt like a nudge toward parents who send their kids away when they find out they are Queer.
Of course, it is revealed at the end of the movie that the mother is just afraid that people will not accept him for who he is, to which the grandmother responds, “Some people, they’ll never accept him — but some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones.” This is a slightly pessimistic but truthful sentiment that rings true for many LGBTQ+ youth who have to juggle life differently once they’ve come out of the closet — a thought-provoking attitude to adapt and an equally important lesson to learn.
Why tell the story of LGBTQ+ youth through an animated sea monster movie? Disney has been including gay characters slowly but surely in TV series such as “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” and “Andi Mack,” but why would Disney-Pixar decide to pull back on the reins now?
If “Luca” was meant to be advertised as a movie that featured LQBTQ+ acceptance, then the people that should see the movie would not attend. The message of this movie is for everyone. The story generates compassion and understanding for all people; however, the lesson of acceptance is most important for those who were raised with homophobic mindsets. Hiding sentiment such as this within an animated movie is the only way to provide this experience to those who are reluctant to be sympathetic towards members of the Queer community.
Watch “Luca” on Disney+.
william • Jun 1, 2022 at 4:57 pm
Why is this movie even a lesson to homophobes ? People are who they are they do not care about lessons . People are going to hate regardless no matter how many movies they watch. Most homosexuals I know do not want attention they wish to live their lives in peace and I don’t blame them As a wedding DJ I have done many same sex weddings and there is a lot of partying going on with them. Everybody is different than you or me they want respect just like the rest of us do gay straight black white trans Bi we all bleed red we all come from a mother and father weather the father is there is inmaterial unless we are aliens from mars.
Nerida Kho • Aug 7, 2021 at 5:24 am
As a mum of a transgender teen this movie definitely struck a chord with me. I would never consider sending my daughter away or try to make her hide her true, authentic self. But I am so fearful of how the world will treat her. I know so many will never see her, but just perceive her through a different lense. Some may even want to hurt her. The line in the movie “some people they will never accept him, but some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones”, this was like a revelation to me. My daughter will find the good ones and in a way her transgender is a kind of filter to find the good ones.
Connor • Jul 1, 2021 at 10:28 pm
As someone who is Queer themselves, I think a major thing people are overlooking is that things of LGBTQ+ nature are not inherently sexual. Viewing the movie through a Queer lens, I was able to relate so heavily to the story presented before me, and that it highlighted things I’ve personally experienced, outside of my experiences with sexual attraction and even highlighting experiences I had while I was pre-pubescent and felt “different” and “odd” compared to my peers when i didn’t know why. Of course I later figured it out growing up as time passed that I was Gay and Non-Binary but when I was younger I had always assumed I was Straight and Cis because thats what I was always told was the only option and anything else was damning and hell-bound. Hell, my identity of being Non-Binary is in itself Queer and outside any sort of sexual preference or experiences, and thats mainly what the elements in the movie struck a chord with for me in the first place. The characters are young and pre-pubescent but in every societal construct out there there are Cis and Heterosexuals things forced on you since BIRTH. People always forget that from even the time before our birth parents talk about “He’s going to be such a ladies man!” or “She’s going to be a heartbreaker for those little boys out there”. Parents openly talk about there relationships and such and tease their kids about crushes, and pair up their kids with their friends kids while young hoping they “are boyfriend and girlfriend with their best friends kid”. There are many more examples but I dont wanna spend all day typing them out. These things and situations only become more and more prevalent as we grow older. So I do not care if people see it as different, to me Luca is the platonic Queer movie that the LGBTQ+ has been looking for for so long, even if Disney hides away under a rock with these things liek they always do. If you see it as a simple coming of age story, thats fine and you are not wrong, even in my interpretation of the movie at the heart thats still what it is, But to me there are way too many parallels that stood out to me that cements the idea of it being a Queer film to me personally. Even if the main artistic mind behind it said otherwise, people also seem to ignore the fact that once something is in the realm of public consumption, the work is no longer the artists. Whatever parallels or interpretation you draw from a piece of media becomes yours, even if the artists rants and raves about the subject matter. Art is a form to be consumed and everyone will have a different interpretation of a work, whether it be the story it tells, the emotions it conveys, or even down to the sounds, colors, and senses it entices and plays with. Walk through this world looking at things through your own lens, but remember that others themselves are doing so as well. (I’m leaving out details on why I see it the way that I do to avoid spoilers. but trust me when I say I can point out A LOT of even small moments that point me to the conclusion I have reached on the film)
Lacy • Jun 27, 2021 at 9:26 pm
Wow, this is so poorly written and really reaching. I think it is quite bold of you to assume two Italian boys would be anything more than just two boys. I know for a fact that Italians have different culture than in America. It seems in America if anyone shows affection it is seen as sexual? Why are American people so caught up in putting labels on every thing? It’s sad and sick.
Daniel Solomon • Jun 23, 2021 at 3:15 pm
Okay, I just read your article cause I was literally just searching randomly on the web for information about the Luca director’s decision to claim it was “not a gay movie” and then I saw your name after reading it and I was shocked and cracked up.