Disney and Pixar’s Luca will be streaming on Disney+ Friday, June 18th for the entire world to enjoy! When sitting down with the cast and crew, I learned what a personal story this was for everyone involved. The filmmakers own coming-of-age experiences impacted Luca in a very significant way and they hope that the film will resonate with viewers because of that.

THE DIRECTOR’S CHILDHOOD IS WHAT INFLUENCED LUCA

Director Enrico Casarosa took memories that he had of summers growing up in Italy as inspiration for Luca’s overarching storyline. He had this to say:

I was born in Genoa, which is this poor town right on the Riviera. And I was a shy kid, a little bit sheltered by my family. And when I met my best friend at 11, kind of my world opened up. He was a bit of a troublemaker; he didn’t have a whole lot of supervision.

The director found that his summers with his childhood best friend shaped him to who he is today. He believes that these friendships help us discover who we want to be and truly allow us to find ourselves.

Luca will be Streaming on Disney+ Friday, June 18th. Courtesy of Disney.

Producer Andrea Warren hopes that these themes of friendship will really resonate with the global audience. She believes that we all have someone like Alberto, Luca’s best friend in the film, in our lives. We need to have a friend to help us step out of our comfort zones and to broaden our horizons. For instance, a quote that Alberto teaches to Luca, “Silenco Bruno” is something that she hopes will not only stick with the kids watching, but the adults as well. Warren had this to say:

I think there are a few really beautiful themes in the film. One being sort of Silencio Bruno, and how we all have these inner critics. And how you sort of overcome that sense of doubt.

“Silencio Bruno!”

Jack Dylan Grazer who plays Alberto, says his character is truly integral to Luca’s life because he pushes him to do things that he might not have before. Alberto’s eagerness and curiosity for life is what really drives him, and allows for both of the young protagonists to grow together. Grazer says that Silencio Bruno is:

…one of the most crucial things you could ever learn in your life. It’s just, like, the elimination of doubt. I got rid of my Bruno eons ago. I haven’t had a Bruno for years.

See how the universal themes of friendship and growing up are brought to the surface, when Luca hits Disney+ on Friday, June 18th.

Check out our review for Luca here.

For more on Disney, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.