Information

Luca is a 2021 American animated coming-of-age fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was directed by Enrico Casarosa in his feature directorial debut, produced by Andrea Warren and written by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones from a story by Casarosa, Andrews and Simon Stephenson. It stars Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo, Marco Barricelli, Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, Peter Sohn, Lorenzo Cresi, Marina Massironi, and Sandy Martin, voiced by Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer. Set on the Italian Riviera, the film centers on Luca Paguro (Tremblay), a young sea monster boy with the ability to assume human form while on land, who explores the town of Portorosso with his new best friends Alberto Scorfano (Grazer) and Giulia Marcovaldo (Berman). , experience a life-changing summer adventure.

Luca draws inspiration from Casarossa’s childhood in Genoa, Italy. Several Pixar artists were sent to the Italian Riviera to gather research from Italian culture and environment to create Portorosso, the primary setting. The sea monster, an “allegory of various feelings”, is loosely based on old Italian regional myths and folklore. As with La Luna (2011), the design and animation were hand-drawn and inspired by stop motion works and the style of Hayao Miyazaki. Casarosa described the result as a film that “pays homage to Federico Fellini and other classic Italian filmmakers, with a dash of Miyazaki in the mix as well”. Luca’s development took five years, with production being carried out remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dan Romer composed the film’s musical score.

Luca premiered at the Aquarium of Genoa on June 13, 2021, and was released direct-to-streaming on Disney+ in the United States on June 18, 2021 in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It was released in theaters in countries without streaming services and had a one-week theatrical run at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood from 18 to 24 June 2021. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its animation, nostalgic atmosphere, and design of the Italian Riviera.

The film was the most watched streaming movie of 2021 with over 10.6 billion minutes watched. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 79th Golden Globe Awards and the 94th Academy Awards. A related short film starring Alberto, titled Ciao Alberto, was released on November 12, 2021, on Disney+.

Details

Circa summer 1959, timid sea monster boy Luca Paguro catches a goatfish off the coast of the Italian town of Portorosso. His parents forbid him to go near the surface for fear of being hunted by humans. One day, Luca meets Alberto Scorfano, a fellow sea monster child who lives alone in an abandoned tower on land. Alberto teaches Luca that sea monsters can turn into humans, as long as they stay dry. Luca starts sneaking in to meet Alberto, and they become friends, wanting to own a Vespa and travel around the world.

After discovering their son’s actions, Luca’s parents decide to send him to live deep with his uncle Ugo. In retaliation, Luca runs away from home with Alberto to hide in Portorosso. The boys dread a triathlon of swimming, eating pasta and biking, according to Ercole Visconti, local bully and five-time champion of the Portorosso Cup. When Ercole tries to soak Luca in a fountain, he is stopped by a young woman named Giulia Marcovaldo. Hoping to win the money needed for the Vespa, the boys team up with Giulia for a triathlon.

Giulia invites them to stay at her house and introduces them to her fisherman father Massimo, who is prejudiced against sea monsters. Meanwhile, Luca’s parents infiltrate the city in search of their son. Giulia and Luca bond over their love of learning, making Alberto jealous. When Luca shows interest in going to school, Alberto deliberately reveals his sea monster form to Giulia to prevent it. Unwilling to give himself up, Luca pushes through the transformation and a traitorous Alberto flees as Ercole’s gang comes hunting for him. Heartbroken, Alberto trashes everything in his hiding place. After a while, Giulia learns that Luca is a sea monster, and sends him away for his safety.

Luca goes to his hideout in an attempt to reconcile with Alberto and learns that Alberto was abandoned by his father long ago. Although Alberto refuses to participate in the triathlon, Luca promises to win the Vespa to rebuild their friendship. The triathlon begins with Luca and Giulia competing separately. Luca successfully completes the swimming race (in a diving suit) and the pasta eating competition without revealing himself, but during the bike race it starts to rain. Alberto appears to give Luca an umbrella, but Ercole knocks it away, revealing Alberto’s sea monster form and shocking the audience. Luca rescues Alberto, revealing his true form, and the two cycle to the end.

Giula deliberately collides with Ercole’s bike to prevent him from harpooning Luca and Alberto, who inadvertently cross the finish line before turning back to help Giulia. When Ercole and the other townspeople confront the boys, Massimo stands up for them and insists that they have won. Some of the townspeople reveal that they too are sea monsters, and Luca is finally reunited with his family. Most people welcome the sea monster, except Ercole whose superstition makes him an outcast. He is thrown into a fountain by his many abused chickens.

Luca and Alberto buy an old Vespa, but Alberto sells it to get a train ticket for Luca, allowing him to go to school in Genoa with Giulia. Luca’s family, Massimo and Alberto meet Luca and Giulia at the train station, where they all promise to keep in touch. During the credits, Luca meets Giulia’s mother and goes to school with Giulia, while Massimo accepts Alberto as his son.

Disney Voice Cast

Jacob Tremblay as Luca Paguro, a 12-year-old [an] Italian boy and Alberto’s best friend who is curious about the world above the sea. He lives in the waters off the Italian coast, on a farm where he raises goat fish with his parents. Although she’s been warned her whole life that the human world is a dangerous place, she longs for something beyond her quiet farm life, so when Alberto takes her to explore Portorosso, her eyes open to a whole world of possibilities. He and all the other sea monsters take human form when they dry up. Paguro means “hermit crab” in Italian.
Jack Dylan Grazer as Alberto Scorfano, a 14-year-old Italian boy and Luca’s best friend who is passionate about exploring the human world. He is an independent, expressive and outgoing boy who is “all about having fun”. Despite her outgoing and free-spirited nature, she secretly hates being alone, as it is revealed that her only guardian figure abandoned her on an island tower, leaving her feeling lonely and insecure. Scorfano means “red fish” or “scorpionfish” in Italian.
Emma Berman as Giulia Marcovaldo, a 13-year-old Italian girl who is an outcast in Portorosso and befriends Luca and Alberto. She is an “outgoing and charming adventurer with a love of books and learning”. To prepare for the role, Berman visited a local Italian restaurant in San Francisco to do some research and met an Italian waiter working there, who taught him to speak Italian through a few Zoom sessions.
Saverio Raimondo as Ercole Visconti, an 18-year-old who is a cowardly bully. The repeat champion of the city’s Portorosso Cup race, despite many suggesting he is too old for it, is “a Vespa-owning, pompadoured blowhard who believes everyone loves him and enjoys watching him eat sandwiches”. He has two followers, Ciccio and Guido, who are ready to do his bidding. In voicing him, Raimondo was partly inspired by Giuseppe Annatrelli’s performance as Luciano Calboni in the Fantozzi film series. Raimondo reprized his role in the Italian-language dubbing of the film.
Maya Rudolph Daniela Paguro, a sea monster, daughter of Grandma Paguro, Lorenzo’s wife, and Luca’s mother who is determined to keep her son safe.
Marco Barricelli as Massimo Marcovaldo, an Italian fisherman, cook and Giulia’s father. He is an imposing and tattooed man born with only one arm. Despite being intimidated by Luca and Alberto by his large size and skill with a knife, Massimo has a soft heart, especially for his daughter.
Jim Gaffigan as Lorenzo Paguero, a sea monster, Ugo’s brother, Daniela’s husband and Luca’s father, a “well-meaning, but sometimes confused father who is very enthusiastic about raising his prize-winning crabs”; Gaffigan based her performance on her own parenting skills.
Peter Sohn and Lorenzo Cresi as Ciccio and Guido, Ercole’s friends.
Marina Massironi Mrs Marsiglise, a woman who manages and sponsors the Portorosso Cup race. Massironi reprized his role in the Italian-language dubbing of the film.
Sandy Martin as Grandma Paguero, a sea monster who is Daniela’s mother and Luca’s grandmother. Grandma knows that breaking some rules is a part of growing up and is more than happy to look the other way when Luca’s rebellious side emerges.
Sacha Baron Cohen as Ugo Paguro, an anglerfish-like sea monster, Luca’s uncle, and Lorenzo’s brother who lives deep in the ocean and whose torso is visible.
Giacomo Gianniotti and Gino La Monica voice Giacomo and Tommaso, respectively, two local fishermen (they reprized their roles in the Italian-language dubbing of the movie). Elisa Gabrieli and Mimi Menard play Concetta and Pinusia Aragosta, two elderly women who are later revealed to be sea monsters. Francesca Fanti voices a female police officer who is disturbed by Ercole’s torture. Jonathan Nichols voices a local priest named Don Eugenio (voiced by Gino D’Acampo in the British version). Jim Pirie voices Mr. Branzino, a sea monster who is a neighbor of the Paguro family. Casarosa voices an angry fisherman and a Scopa player.
Box
As of December 2021, the film has grossed $49.8 million worldwide, with its largest markets being China ($14 million), Russia ($8.2 million), Poland ($3.6 million), Hong Kong ($3.6 million), South Korea ($3 million), United Arab Emirates Emirates ($2.1 million), and Romania ($1.02 million). The film was released during the Covid-19 pandemic.

About

Directed by	Enrico Casarosa
Screenplay by	·         Jesse Andrews ·         Mike Jones
Story by	·         Enrico Casarosa ·         Jesse Andrews ·         Simon Stephenson
Produced by	Andrea Warren
Starring	·         Jacob Tremblay ·         Jack Dylan Grazer ·         Emma Berman ·         Saverio Raimondo ·         Maya Rudolph ·         Marco Barricelli ·         Jim Gaffigan
Cinematography	·         David Juan Bianchi ·         Kim White
Edited by	·         Catherine Apple ·         Jason Hudak
Music by	Dan Romer
Production companies	·         Walt Disney Pictures ·         Pixar Animation Studios
Distributed by	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release dates	·         June 13, 2021 (Aquarium of Genoa) ·         June 18, 2021 (United States)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$49.8 million

ScreenShots