Pixar’s “Coco” is on the way to leading the box office for a third consecutive weekend since its release, connecting with both domestic and international audiences.
For Latinos in the United States, seeing an authentic portrayal of Mexican families and traditions in a mainstream film is particularly special. NowThisNews sent some Latinos on staff to watch the film and captured their reactions on video.
“I’m a wreck. I’m going to cry again like 10 other times today,” Tatiana Baez said in a video that NowThis tweeted out on Friday.
A moviegoer identified as Lionel, who saw the film with his family, also spoke to the outlet. He said the movie made him feel proud to be Mexican and that it came at an important time, considering the rhetoric against the community.
“With our current president, and the way he feels towards our people, it was definitely uplifting to see a movie and be represented,” he said.
Last month, “Coco” co-director Lee Unkrich shared an emotional letter Pixar received from a Mexican-American fan that showed the impact of inclusion in Hollywood. In the moving note, a woman explained why the film meant so much to her family:
Last night, for the first time in my life, I took my mom to the movies. We went to the movies like real Americans do! My mother had tears in her eyes. She hadn’t been to a movie theater in over 30 years. She has always felt a bit out of place in the states. But last night, she forgot she was not from here. She felt at home. And of course the movie made us cry too!
Well anyway I apologize for getting so emotional. But I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, and from all Mexican Americans thank you. Thank you for including Us. Thank you for making my mommy fee like she belongs. Thank You.
Watch more Latinos react to “Coco” in the video above.