The Day of the Dead in the Film Coco

Coco, a culturally sensitive, beautiful, and colorfully animated film, is formed around the Dia De Muertos (the day of the dead), a Mexican-based traditional and cultural celebration conducted to commemorate and honor the dead. Norms and cultural practices are usually specific and meant to portray or represent a precise meaning or function as per the cultures beliefs. Several aspects and themes of the day of the dead ceremony have been simulated in the film, some of which are correct, and some, for the purposes of building on the plot of the story, are incorrect. The film promotes and gives exciting views and perspectives to the ceremony and highlights significant factors of the event. The day of the dead has been accurately depicted in the film with only a few incorrect instances.

Correct Presentations of the Day of the Dead

The film is set in the traditional Mexican theme, and as it is in their culture, they have holidays set aside to celebrate and commemorate the dead. This is accurately presented in the film as Miguels grandmother explains the meaning of the ceremony and its importance. In the present-day Mexican culture, the deceased are believed to awaken and visit the living on this day, just as depicted in the film. This is evident when the deceased are seen crossing over to the land of the living through a floating bridge.

The preparation and anticipation of people are also correctly portrayed in Coco. On the Dia De Muertos, the living hold picnics over the graves of their late relatives in an event filled with fruits, flowers, and traditional Mexican foods. They prepare the deads favorite meals and leave them on top of affrendas decorated with bright marigolds (cempasuchil) and lit candles (Crosthwait, 2020). In the film, Miguels grandmother prepares traditional Mexican meals in preparation for the day of the dead. The food can be seen displayed all over the kitchen. Flower petals are sprinkled by the living in a trail from cemeteries to guide the deceased home. The film accurately portrays this as the bridge linking the spirit and the natural world is filled with flowers (Unkrich, 2017). The unique ritual of this day is the calaneras (skulls) and calcas (skeletons) (Crosthwait, 2020). Mexican locals paint their faces and wear costumes that mimic the skull and skeletons that would ideally be the appearance of the dead. This practice is correctly represented as the living in the film wear torn clothes and paint their faces to resemble the dead.

As the Dia De Muertos approaches in the film, families, including Miguels, prepare to welcome the dead. Feasts and ornaments are evident in Miguels home and the surrounding houses. This is a correct depiction as in the present-day celebrations, designed home altars are decorated, and there is plenty of food, flowers, beverages, and lit candles. Three generations of Miguels family (the deceased) are displayed in well-preserved pictures in Miguels home. This is accurate since photograph exhibition of the dead is an essential aspect of the ritual in present-day Mexico and other places where the day of the dead is celebrated.

Incorrect Presentations of the Day of the Dead

The land of the dead in the film, as described, is primarily similar and correct as per the present-day Dia De Muertos, apart from a few incorrect occurrences. The only way that one crosses over to the land of the dead is through death, but Miguel traveled across alive. The rules of how one travels back to the land of the living are also not correct as per the present-day beliefs. It is also incorrect that the living can only travel back before dawn, as explained in the film. The film is, however, educative, informative, and promotes the culture of the Mexican locals (Crosthwait, 2020). It gives exciting insights into the memory of the dead and leaves one wondering how they will be remembered.