Un Disfraz para Nicolas

Nicolás is a 10-year-old boy with Down syndrome. Every year, his mother made him a costume. He was a monkey, a brave pirate, a giant dragon. Unfortunately, his mother dies and Nicolás goes to live with Mia and Tomás, his beloved grandparents, and his cousin David, who suffers from nightmares. Nicolás keeps an old trunk with all his magical costumes. With them, he will embark on an adventure to save his cousin from his nightmares and, indeed, a whole kingdom submerged in chaos.

"Many people in the world need our help, others just need our respect" I had not realized that the protagonist, little Nicolas, was a special child, during the animation, only after the synopsis did I have this perception, and I was enchanted by every detail as I continued watching, and in the final credits we have scenes recorded by the equally special voice actor, everything made and executed with such mastery, magnificent and necessary... "In kindness we find hope"

A Mexican animated film. It is about a boy who goes to live with his grandparents and his cousin, there he faces the nightmares of his cousin with the help of his costumes. Quality. Animation is good. At times it is parsimonious and it feels like it is not moving forward. Exaggerated imagination but that is consistent to catch the child audience. Colorful Talk about friendship, about being yourself, about overcoming fears (nightmares). Nice Sunday. What happens in the credits are or better, it leaves a great taste in your mouth.

Fotosintesis Media is a pretty unique studio in the world of animation. While some of the big hitters like the U. S.'s Pixar and Disney can often be considered to put story or merchandise before representation, others in Japan or Europe seem intent on pushing the medium as a visual artform. This Mexican studio on the other hand, tends to prioritize representation and social enterprising. This is clear in their previous movie ("The Angel in the Clock", whose protagonist is a young girl undergoing chemotherapy) as well as "A Costume for Nicolás", where the title character has Down Syndrome.

The term "Down Syndrome" is not mentioned at all in the movie, however, so it falls on cues such as the shape of Nicolás's eyes compared to other characters, or his distinctive speech, to make it clear that he has it. Not addressing this directly could be seen as not conducive to representation, although I think the argument could be made that it is in fact better for it.

In the movie's "real world", Nicolás is not singled out as "special", which mashes well with his approach to the magical elements of the narrative. By not treating the appearance of portals inside chests or humanoid orangutans as anything out of the ordinary, he follows the Latin American tradition of magical realism (other characters do react to this, placing the work more squarely within the category of Fantasy). Nicolás being treated "normally" means that the movie pushes forward the intention for this to be the ideal way of disability being treated in the real world. Erasure of the condition is also avoided during the end credits, where behind-the-scenes footage showcases Nicolás's original voice actor, who also has Down Syndrome.

The other distinctive characteristic of Fotosintesis, now specifically within Mexican animation, is how much importance they give to the craft of animating. In terms of visuals and fluidity, their works might be the single most consistently solid in the country's industry. Though not as imaginative as "The Angel in the Clock", the imagery here is still quite unique, with compelling character designs and beautiful backgrounds.

With such a focus on representation and artistry, narrative is often one of the studio's weaknesses. For all their good intentions, the stories fall short of creating emotional resonance, with the conflicts being resolved conveniently after a journey full of shortcuts. This is often not a problem for the younger ones, however, who are definitely a part of the audiences included in their whole-family approach.

Given the studio's priorities, it makes sense that the focus is on highlighting diversity to all their viewers. In this sense, "A Costume for Nicolás" succeeds while also looking quite impressive for its context, despite any narrative shortcomings.

In the initial information, the film informs us that it is part of a very specific line of entertainment: the so-called entertainment with a cause. The story of Nicolas's Fantasies (Un Disfraz for Nicolas, in the original, is a 2020 Mexican film available on Disney Plus) tells the story of a 10-year-old boy with Down Syndrome. He lives with his mother, who was an accomplished storyteller and seamstress.

She spent her days telling stories about fantasy worlds and producing fantasies for her son to immerse himself in the narratives. When she dies, he moves in with his grandparents and a teenage cousin, who doesn't accept him.

The film tells the relationship between the characters, the acceptance between them, the necessary empathy with those who are different and also the patience that Nicolas needs to face the new situation. There, the monsters of the stories mix with reality and demand that the characters be brave.

In a delicious mix of fantasy and reality, the movie mixes 2D and 3D elements, making the experience interesting. Although the character with Down Syndrome is represented in a unique way, throughout the story there are times when it is impossible to distinguish him from the others.

The plot has very interesting details and the script really seems to respect a child's imaginative musings. The scenes are very colorful and the story unfolds with a mixture of reality and fantasy, essential for conflicts to be resolved by the protagonist, Nicolas.

He is a little hero who learns to deal with his nightmares and teaches those around him that if there are dreams, there will be nightmares, and that this is life.

Here, the reaction of the 5 and 4 year olds was one of excitement with the fanciful stories and sobs in the most emotional moments of the film. They saw the movie twice in a row - kids and the need to reinforce standards and predictability to feel safe and that's why they like/need to see and hear the same things so many times.

I asked if they noticed something different in any of the characters, but the milestones that represent Down Syndrome in the character did not catch the girls' attention even in early childhood. They were enchanted by the fantasy world, yet so similar to theirs.

For younger children, it's best to watch the film under supervision so that they understand the diverse and rich metaphors the text offers. And although the film makes a clear message about empathy, about the need to face monsters - real and imagined - that message remains for adults and also for older children who watch the animation.