The film's setting is a work of fiction: a town named “Encanto” set in the mountains of Colombia, inspired by the famous Cocora Valley and its many settlements.
1. Cocora Valley. The tiny heritage town of Salento, with brightly clashing doors and buildings made from terracotta tiles, is the gateway to the Cocora Valley in the western Andes, and both provided inspiration for Encanto.
Encanto follows a multigenerational Colombian family, the Madrigals, led by a matriarch whose children and grandchildren—except for Mirabel Madrigal—receive magical gifts from a miracle, which they use to help the people in their rural community, called the Encanto.
Architecture. In the movie Encanto, the overall look of the town and especially the Madrigal house were strongly inspired by the colonial architecture that renders places like Barichara, Salento, Villa de Leyva and Cartagena so stunningly beautiful and quaint.
Encanto is not set in a specific time, but is based more or less at the beginning of the 20th century. The movie opens with Mirabel's grandparents fleeing a conflict, during which her grandfather, Pedro, dies. From there, and from the river of course, comes the miracle that forms the basis of the story.
Salento, the Colombian inspiration behind Oscar-winning 'Encanto' | AFP
Why does the dad say "miércoles" in Encanto?
In short, Agustín actually meant to say the Spanish curse word “mierda,” which translates to “s—t” in English. But he refrained from doing so and instead said “Wednesday.” According to #Encanto Twitter, this is a common practice in the Colombian community as a way to avoid profanity around children.
Colombia has more than 3,600 butterfly species (the most in the world), so the average viewer may not realize that the yellow butterflies that swarm through Disney's enchanting animated movie Encanto were inspired by author Gabriel García Márquez's frequent use of yellow butterflies as a symbol of love, hope, and peace ...
Although Disney films have for a long time been associated with princesses and fairy tales, “Encanto” is a film that Colombians can feel proud of, thanks to the great lengths the filmmakers went to in researching Colombian traditions and culture.
Mirabel's lack of a magical gift in Encanto doesn't define her worth or importance. She becomes the gift herself by bringing her family together and restoring Casita's magic. While there are theories about Mirabel's hidden gift, the movie emphasizes that her intelligence and problem-solving abilities are her true gift.
Although the exact town "Encanto" takes place in is fictional, it is inspired by real places. Members of the film's crew spent two weeks in Colombia to research.
Mirabel's physical appearance is based on that of tourist guide Alejandra Espinosa Uribe; Mirabel's design began with her skirt, whose extensive embroidery represents her personality.
The Iberian Peninsula is divided between Peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal. This also helps explain Asha's racial and ethnic background, as Wish producer Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones previously explained (via Geeks of Color) that Asha has Southern European and North African heritage from her mother's side.
The film's setting is a work of fiction: a town named “Encanto” set in the mountains of Colombia, inspired by the famous Cocora Valley and its many settlements. The valley is renowned for its hilly landscapes dotted with wax palm trees—the tallest in the world—prominently represented in the film.
Like Mirabel, Abuela lacks a tangible magical ability like super hearing or seeing the future, but rather acts as the glue that holds the rest of the family together. Abuela's magic lies in how she creates an environment for the other Madrigals to flourish and use their gifts for good.
Though Encanto doesn't have a traditional villain, one theory states Dolores could be the film's secret antagonist. According to the fan theory (via Reddit), Dolores wants her family to lose their powers. After all, the gift of super hearing isn't necessarily as helpful as increased strength or instant plant life.
Lastly, there's Mirabel's door. We're led to believe that it dissolved when Mirabel was a little girl because she was denied a gift. Every other person in her family got to open their door, receive their gift, and get a gigantic magical room that's the stuff of dreams.
But surprisingly less attention has been given to what seems to be the key message of the movie: people do not need to be special to deserve love, security, and ultimately, rights. Through song, “Encanto” quietly teaches a powerful lesson about the flaws of U.S. immigration policy.
In short, Agustín actually meant to say the Spanish curse word “mierda,” which translates to “s—t” in English. But he refrained from doing so and instead said “Wednesday.” According to #Encanto Twitter, this is a common practice in the Colombian community as a way to avoid profanity around children.
As a result, given that the enchanted candle has been tended for 50 years, the current events from the film would have taken place anywhere between 1949 and 1952.
Hidden in Casita's walls, Bruno befriends the rats that live there. In the same way that Bruno's bad visions of the future cause his family and community to shun and misunderstand him as a bringer of terrible luck, rats are seen as untrustworthy and frightening creatures that live in hiding.
The characters and gifts of Encanto were built upon family archetypes; Isabela represents that of the golden child. According to Bush, the archetypes made the gifts feel more reasonable, being prescribed by emotions and personality.
