‘Encanto’ creator reacts to becoming first Latina Oscar nominated composer for original score

Disney’s Encanto is one of the most well-known releases to date, featuring culturally sensitive casting, diversity and an overall appeal.

What has made its notoriety even more historic is the Oscar nomination for best original score among its Latina composers, like Germaine Franco.

Franco recounted the entire experience of working on the animated film during an appearance on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast.

There she admitted, “I met with [filmmakers] Byron Howard and Jared Bush and we talked about the scope of how would the score work in conjunction with the songs because the songs are very melodic.”

The music for the film included instruments specific to the region and was complimented by three-stringed guitars, a tambora bass drum, a gaita, a cactus-made flute, an arpa llerna, a harp; and the marimba de chonta, which is a percussion instrument.

Not even this wide vaqriety felt ‘enough’ so Franco had a Colombian harp shipped in, despite covid-19 restrictions, so that she could “get Colombia to me.”