Luca, the children’s movie set on the Italian riviera, is a Golden Globes nominee in the best animated film category. The awards ceremony is on 9th January in Los Angeles.
Produced by Pixar and distributed by Disney, Luca is a coming-of-age fantasy. It tells the story of Luca, a young boy experiencing “an unforgettable summer” with his best friend Alberto.
Enrico Casarosa directed the film in his feature-length directorial debut. Written by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones, based on a story by Casarosa, Andrews, and Simon Stephenson, it is set on the Italian Riviera.
Luca, a sea monster boy
The film centres around Luca Paguro, a young sea monster boy who assumes human form while on land. He explores the town of Portorosso with his new best friend, Alberto Scorfano.
The film is inspired by Casarosa’s childhood in Genoa. Several Pixar artists were sent to the Italian Riviera gathering research of the Italian culture and environment.
The sea monsters are a “metaphor for feeling different”, and loosely based on old Italian regional myths and folklore.
Casarosa was nominated for an Oscar for the animated short film La Luna in 2012 and is known for his work on movies such as Cars and Ratatouille.
Other Golden Globes Interests
Italy’s other interest in the Golden Globes is The Hand of God by Paolo Sorrentino. Nominated for best foreign film, it is also on the Oscars shortlist.
In addition, Lady Gaga is up for best actress for her role as Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci. Based around the Gucci family scandal from the 1980s, it was filmed in Italy earlier this year.
