If you enjoyed Coco you will love this new animated film that – just like the 2017 Adrian Molina-directed Pixar animation – takes its inspiration from the Mexican holiday Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead).
In the Mexican town of Santa Clara, lives Salma, voiced by Cristina Milizia (Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures and Monster High) a 16-year-old orphan who never got to meet her biological parents. The only story she’s been told her whole life is that they abandoned her.
Salma has spent most of her life dedicated to searching out clues for her parents’ identity and their whereabouts with little to no luck, until she discovers a special book that is filled with stories of Santa Clara and the history of their people.
With this new special book, Salma sets off on an adventure with her two brave and lovable foster brothers, Jorge, who Joseph Hernandez (The Waste Land) lends his voice to and Pedro, voice by Luis Dubuc (Dragon Ball Super) to try and discover the missing links to her family’s heritage. Her ultimate goal is that she will finally get to meet her long-lost parents.
The film’s director Carlos Gutiérrez Medrano describes his heart-warming animation as: “A visual film involving the traditional day of the celebration, but it’s not a film that will make you cry about your relatives or a sad film.”
“The film is about, Salma, and her adventure with her two brothers that takes place on the Day of the Dea,” Medrano says.
“So, we use the details from the celebration, the smell of the candles and the look of the town, the traditional images of Dia de Muertos, but it’s still about the heroine and her discovering her amazing powers.”
Medrano adds: “We used a very original story to create our hero, so we could see a Mexican princess from two worlds – both powerful and strong and also empowered by her own Mexican culture and customs. You can find that in Salma, which is very unique,”Medrano concludes.
So if you’re looking for a colourful, feel-good film for the whole fam this Halloween, then this is the one for you.
WHAT IS IT…
A Halloween movie for the whole gang
WHY GO…
For the feel-good factor
DIRECTOR
Carlos Gutiérrez Medrano
RELEASE DATE
Thursday, 10 October
