Pixar is an animation studio committed to excellence . Every year it releases at most two films. Some just one. From the moment they are released they are favorites to win the Oscar Award in their category, as “ Soul ”, following in the wake of“ The Incredibles ”,“ Up ”,“ Inside Out ”,“ Coco ”and even 11 films that were winners of the statuette in 15 nominations. The next most awarded studio is Disney Animation, with three awards.
That is why every premiere of Pixar follows in detail. The next 18 June will be the turn of “ Luca ”, the story of a boy from the Italian Riviera who under water is a sea monster and on the surface is human , something he discovers thanks to his friend Alberto, with whom he will begin to discover the world.
After seeing the first ones 30 minutes into the film, we were able to interview Enrico Casarosa, director and ideologist of “Luca”, a character based on his childhood . This Genoese from 50 years who has been working at Pixar since 2002 attended us from his home in the San Francisco bay area.
Question: Pixar always pushes the limits of animation and narrative a little further with each new movie. What does Luca contribute to this demand?
Enrico Casarora : For me it is the focus on finding a different field, more pictorial and cheerful. It was less about “we have to use this new technology” and more about the creative process of how to use technology to immerse ourselves in a children’s story and the moment in our lives when we are children. And all on the Italian Riviera. So I hope that when you think about Netflix’s wonderful story, this movie feels like something different. All the different Pixar departments have tried to modify the drawings, the textures, the design – and everything that was previously left to the computer simulator – to control and adapt them to the precise moment and emotion. I hope you feel that there is a warmth and joy that are a bit new.
Q .: Is it a movie about friendship, about Italy? How would you describe “Luca”?
EC : In the end it is the awakening to adolescence of this little boy who is very curious but also shy, with many insecurities and anxiety. It is friendship that takes you out of your comfort zone, out of your shell. Friendship is the core. How do you find someone to see you? The wonderful thing I had in my friendship is that he was very different from me, but that helped us appreciate each other and also found ways to change each other, to challenge each other. That’s at the heart of the movie: the friendships that make us find ourselves. So our protagonist’s journey leads him to find confidence and self-acceptance. The sea monster is the metaphor of feeling different, that something is wrong with you. The second topic is how connecting with different cultures helps us build bridges.
Q .: Luca is you and Alberto is a friend of yours, right?
EC : Yes. I was the shy one and had a very protective family. My best friend Alberto, his parents let him do whatever he wanted and he was always on the street. This is how we grew. We did a thousand things that I would never have done alone. It’s that moment when you start looking for yourself outside of your family bubble. He was mischievous, passionate and was never afraid to face his fears. One day he bought a python and was walking around with the snake. Years later, he admitted to me that it terrified him, he was so afraid that he asked his little sister to feed the python.
Q .: Where did the idea of sea monsters come from?
EC : From the crazy legends of the area. In the culture of these fishermen there are many myths, such as sea dragons. Saint George and the dragon is the symbol of Genoa. The myth of the boy who goes out to sea and does not return because he became a fish. It was a lot of fun researching all those wonderful old tales that can be found all over Italy. The sea is part of the culture and at the same time a mystery that hides creatures down there.
P .: “Luca’s graphics are more like cartoon than in recent films from Pixar. Do you think animation for years tried to be as realistic as possible and is now moving in the opposite direction?
EC : The tools went in that direction naturally. Many are the same as those used in movies live-action (with real actors) to make them more fantastic. There are superheroes flying that are computer animations, Godzilla walking in the middle of a city … I believe that each story must find its own style. I don’t think Pixar has gotten too realistic, although our tools are based on physics and simulate light, for example, it is important to be able to control them. I appreciate that there are different visual approaches in each film. Ours is very different, “Soul” is very different, “Turning Red” (upcoming Pixas movie for 2022 ) you will see that it is wonderfully different too and has its own look. I love the diversity not only in how the stories are told, but also in how they look.
Q .: Your favorite Pixar movie?
EC: “Up”.
