by Linda Castillo
I just saw the trailer for Mexican director Jorge Gutierrez and producer Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming film ‘The Book of Life’ and I am so excited to see this movie. In this wonderfully animated feature Guillermo infuses the magic and beauty of Mexico’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration into the animation and storyline.
“We called it The Book of Life because, for me, the movie is about life and joy and memory and honoring memory, and knowing you can live forever when you have somebody that loves, and loved, you,” Del Toro told BuzzFeed.
Bringing the movie to the big screen was a long time in the making.
“I have been pitching the story and people have been saying, ‘This is cool, but you’re never going to get it made,’” Gutierrez told USA Today. “To other cultures it might seem dark, but the Day of the Dead is actually a very positive thing. It’s about joyfully remembering the people no longer with us.”
The animated comedy is about Manolo (Diego Luna), a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. He embarks on an adventure that takes him to three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears.
In addition to Diego, the film features an all star voice cast including Channing Tatum as Joaquin and Zoe Saldaña as Maria as well as Danny Trejo, Hector Elizondo, Plácido Domingo, Kate del Castillo, Ana de la Reguera, Cheech Marin, Christina Applegate, and Gabriel Iglesias to name a few.
‘The Book of Life’ is scheduled to open in theatres October 17, 2014. ‘The Book of Life’ is sure to encourage the audience to celebrate their past while looking forward to the future and they will leave with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Dia de los Muertos holiday.
Linda Castillo is the Founder and Executive Editor of www.ModernLatina.com. She writes on topics that empower and inspire Latinas including art, motherhood, green living, culture, travel, and issues transforming the Latino community. Linda has earned a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Mass Communications from San Jose State University.