Luca: The New Disney and Pixar Movie, a Metaphor for Sexual Diversity?

Pixar is undoubtedly a juggernaut of animated cinema. For several decades, they have been providing us with titles that amaze and entertain all audiences. Pixar often offers stories that contain powerful messages, such as Soul which presented an existentialist reflection on the meaning of life, or the lauded Coco, which tackles family and death. Luca, the latest film from this studio, is an enjoyable journey that will entertain all audiences while delivering a message about what it means to be different.

The film has been released exclusively through the Disney plus streaming platform. The director is Enrico Casarosa, who has worked as a storyboard artist for various Pixar projects such as Cars, Ratatouille, and Up. In 2012 he was nominated for an Oscar for his short film La luna.

As for the plot, this film introduces us to a group of marine beings that live in waters very close to a small coastal town on the Italian Riviera. For their survival, these inhabitants of the sea have a very simple rule: keep hidden from the individuals on the surface. However, young Luca is a child brimming with curiosity and yearns to know what lies beyond the water.

Luca's unexpected encounter with Alberto, another child of the same reckless character, will lead him to discover the wonders of the surface. There our protagonist will see that when he comes out of the water he takes on the appearance of a human child. This duo will be joined by Giulia, a peculiar girl who spends her summer in the town and who is ostracized by the locals. These three children will form a close bond of friendship that will have a great impact on their lives.

Adventure, friendship, and childlike innocence are the main engines of this story, which creates an endearing narrative that at certain points overflows with tenderness.

This is a story that tackles what it means to feel different and how that, ultimately, does not prevent us from finding a place to fit in and be appreciated if we dare to be true to ourselves.

The film fulfills its mission of entertaining and creating a gripping story that can be digested and enjoyed by viewers of all ages.

Also read: Best premieres on Disney + (and more streaming) for July 2021 (Part II)

Is this movie an LGBT metaphor?

Among the various interpretations that this film has prompted, one that has become quite popular is considering it as a metaphor for LGBT love. This idea is based on the fact that within the film marine beings are seen as monsters and hunted. Therefore, they must hide their true essence from people on the surface to be accepted. The type of friendship that is forged between Luca and Alberto also supports this idea, which could be interpreted as the characters discovering their sexual inclinations.

By not presenting this idea explicitly within the film, this interpretation has generated debate. Many consider that this vision exceeds the real message of the work, which would be friendship. However, Luca's message is in line with that of various groups and minorities that fight for inclusion and equality, such as the LGBT community and all those groups that fight, for example, against racism, xenophobia or any other type of discrimination.

Ultimately, Luca is a simple but effective story. It ensures entertainment for the whole family and contains a message that many people can relate to.