Luca

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Jacob Tremblay as Luca Paguro, a 13-year-old Italian boy and Alberto’s best friend who is curious about the world above the sea. He lives in the waters next to the Italian coast, in a farm where he herds goatfish with his parents. Although he has been warned his whole life that the human world is a dangerous place, he longs for something beyond his quiet farm life, so when Alberto takes him to explore Portorosso, his eyes open up to a whole world of possibilities. He and all other sea monsters take on human form when they are dry. 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 enthusiastic to explore the human world. He is a free-spirited, expressive and gregarious boy who is “all about having fun”. Despite his outgoing and free-spirited nature, he secretly hates living alone, as it is revealed that his only parent figure abandoned him in an island tower, leading him to feel lonely and insecure. Scorfano means “redfish” 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 did some research by visiting a local Italian restaurant in San Francisco and met with an Italian waiter working there, who taught her how to speak Italian through some Zoom sessions.
• Saverio Raimondo as Ercole Visconti, an 18-year-old who is a cowardly bully. A repeat champion of the town’s Portorosso Cup race despite many people pointing out he is too old for it, he is “a Vespa-owning, pompadoured blowhard who believes that everyone loves him and enjoys watching him eat sandwiches”. He has two followers, Ciccio and Guido, who are ready to do his bidding. Voicing him, Raimondo was partly inspired by Giuseppe Anatrelli’s performance as Luciano Calboni in the Fantozzi film series. Raimondo reprised his role in the Italian-language dubbing of the movie.
• Maya Rudolph as Daniela Paguro, a sea monster, 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 Luca and Alberto being intimidated by his big size and skill with a knife, Massimo has a soft heart, especially for his daughter.
• Jim Gaffigan as Lorenzo Paguro, a sea monster, Ugo’s brother, Daniela’s husband, and Luca’s father, a “well-meaning, but sometimes distracted dad who’s very passionate about raising his prize-winning crabs”; Gaffigan based his performance on his own parenting skills.
• Peter Sohn and Lorenzo Crisci as Ciccio and Guido, Ercole’s cronies.
• Marina Massironi as Mrs. Marsigliese, a lady who runs the Portorosso Cup race and its sponsor. Massironi reprised her role in the Italian-language dubbing of the movie.
• Sandy Martin as Grandma Paguro, a sea monster who is Luca’s grandmother.Grandma knows that breaking some rules is a part of growing up and she is a little too happy to look the other way if Luca’s rebellious side should emerge.
• Sacha Baron Cohen as Ugo Paguro, an anglerfish-like sea monster, Luca’s uncle, and Lorenzo’s brother who lives in the depths of the ocean and has a see-through torso.[

Storyline:

A 13-year-old boy experiences an unforgettable seaside summer on the Italian Riviera filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the ocean’s surface.

About Movie:

Luca is an American animated coming-of-age fantasy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Enrico Casarosa in his feature directorial debut, the film features a screenplay by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones, based on a story by Casarosa, Andrews, and Simon Stephenson. The voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay as Luca Paguro, Jack Dylan Grazer as Alberto Scorfano, and Emma Berman as Giulia Marcovaldo, along with notable actors such as Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan in supporting roles.

Set on the picturesque Italian Riviera in 1959, Luca tells the story of a young sea monster named Luca who has the ability to transform into a human while on land. Eager to explore the human world, he befriends another sea monster, Alberto, and together they embark on an adventurous summer filled with gelato, pasta, and scooter rides while trying to keep their true identities a secret.

The inspiration for Luca comes from Casarosa’s own childhood experiences in Genoa, Italy. To authentically capture the essence of Italian culture and environment, Pixar artists conducted research trips to the Italian Riviera. The film incorporates themes of friendship and self-acceptance, with the sea monsters serving as a metaphor for feeling different.

Development of Luca spanned five years, with production taking place remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film’s animation style draws from hand-drawn techniques and is influenced by Hayao Miyazaki’s work. Dan Romer composed the musical score for the film.

Luca premiered at the Aquarium of Genoa on June 13, 2021, and was released directly on Disney+ in the United States on June 18, 2021, following a limited theatrical release in select regions. It quickly became the most-viewed streaming film of 2021, amassing over 10.6 billion minutes watched.

Critically acclaimed upon release, Luca received nominations for Best Animated Feature at various awards ceremonies, including the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards. It also won multiple categories at the Annie Awards. The film was praised for its vibrant animation, engaging characters, humor, and representation of LGBTQ+ themes through its subtext of friendship between Luca and Alberto.

Overall, Luca is celebrated for its heartfelt storytelling and beautiful depiction of childhood friendships that encourage acceptance and understanding of one’s identity. The film resonates with audiences for its charming narrative and stunning visuals that capture the spirit of summer adventures on the Italian coast.

Budget & Box Office Collection: