Did You Like Encanto? Here Are Some Colombian Animated Movies You Might Enjoy

Disney surprised us in a big way when the film “Encanto” premiered in 2021, whose inspiration was Colombian culture and customs. Although the final result was the same as what the studio has accustomed us to, the energy, fun and sense of belonging made this film one of the highest-grossing in Colombia.

But despite becoming a complete success, animated films have not been able to fully consolidate themselves in the film industry in Colombia. Even so, it is possible to get several productions of this style that are valuable and exciting. That is why today we want to promote the consumption of Colombian cinema with several recommendations that you cannot miss if you liked “Encanto”.

Virus Tropical

Directed by Santiago Caicedo and released in 2018, this animated film not only left very good impressions in those who saw it, but it was also the winner of multiple international awards. It is worth mentioning that “Tropical Virus” is an adaptation of the homonymous comic book written by Paola Gaviria, alias PowerPaola, in which she narrates her childhood and adolescence in Colombia in the 1980s.

The plot takes us through the life of Paola, a girl who was born into a traditional family where stereotypes do not allow you to fit into society. However, as time passes, the protagonist will learn to live step by step in order to face and overcome all the crises on her way that will end up forging her personality.

The Book of Lila

This film presents a magical and peculiar history that has been able to captivate young and old. Here we meet Lila, a character from a book who manages to escape from her paper world to get trapped in the real world. The only way to return to normality is with the help of Ramón, a boy who used to read her stories when he was a child, but now he has grown up and must relive the magic and innocence of his childhood to help her.

The Colombian production, in conjunction with Uruguay, is directed by Marcela Rincón and had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, Korea. In fact, one of the most positive aspects of this is that Koreans felt identified with some pre-Columbian figures, since the film perfectly recreates everyday spaces in the city of Cali, its architecture and everyday life , in addition to other places in the Colombian geography such as the Chocó jungle, the Tatacoa desert or the Cocora Valley.

No surprises: Why is the Oscar guaranteed to “Encanto”?

Reguechicken

The success of the director Dago García is due to productions with real actors and actresses, however, in 2015 he ventured into animation and the good results came by themselves. Adventures, romance, music and a good touch of humor can be seen in this story of self-acceptance and non-violence that seeks to reach children. 

This is a film for all audiences, with an easy-to-understand plot and characters. Violeta, an orphan and reggaeton fanatic, and Gabriel, son of a champion rooster, are two teenage chickens who will embark on an adventure where they will learn to accept themselves while teaching us a lesson about tolerance.

Little Voices

According to data from UNICEF, in Colombia, there are more than a million children displaced by violence. Under this chilling premise, director Jairo Eduardo Carrillo took animation to another level, as he chose to give voice to several children so that they could narrate their experiences with drawings made by themselves. The result? An animated work without precedent in the country. This type of documentary presents four boys, who through their testimonies share their dreams and hopes while revealing how they perceive reality. In addition, it is worth It should be noted that “Little Voices” has had one of the most impressive tours for a Colombian production in different festivals, winning prizes in the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden and Argentina.

Tundama

The brothers Edison and Diego Yaya were in charge of making possible this 3D animated adventure that took several years to come true. We are talking about a film with a high cultural component that invites us to think about our roots and connect with our ancestors and nature. In fact, one important fact is that “Tundama” was one of the first Colombian productions to open in drive-ins in 2020 after the pandemic. This epic story, full of love, action and heroism, introduces us to Tundama, a cacique who will do everything possible to maintain the freedom of his people and defend their cultures against the arrival of the Spanish conquerors. In the midst of this clash, we will see the characters bravely facing their fears to maintain their beliefs and legacy. It should be noted that the film is narrated in the Chibcha language.