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.
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.