Luca: The Queer Allegory

Published in The Tropolitan on Feb. 24, 2022

The Oscars are right around the corner, and “Luca” - directed by Enrico Casarosa - is in the running with a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film, bringing it back into public view since its release in June 2021.

But before anything is awarded, I would like to take a step back and appreciate the film.

It is a beautiful tale of exploration, friendship and self-discovery.

However, one of the more popular subtexts within “Luca” is the queer self-discovery that the main character undergoes, the discrimination he faces from the community and the rejection from his family.

“Luca” sets its stage in Italy, specifically in the fictional town of Portorosso and its surrounding seas.

Two communities, sea monsters and humans, are fearful of each other based on stereotypes that have been passed down through generations.

Two adventurous sea monsters, Luca and Alberto, travel to the surface to explore the world and prove that being different is not so bad..

On the surface, this film is absolutely beautiful. It uses charm and humor to bring in audiences and does an amazing job at it.

I laughed, cried and had to rewatch a few scenes just because they hit the themes they were trying to go for hard.

And yes, at times it does seem a bit on the nose with its message, but its elements of fantasy work in its advantage by adding a layer of aesthetic distance.

This is where audience members are aware they are watching a show, distancing itself from reality.

Using this, the audience takes what they have learned from the film and applies it to reality.

However, one of the more popular parts of the film that the public may enjoy is the queer subtexts within “Luca.”

It starts with the discovery of the surface world, with Luca finding different artifacts within his world. Then, Alberto acts as a catalyst, encouraging Luca to explore the surface world; Luca absolutely loves it, but cannot say anything to his family about it due to their prejudices against the surface.

This represents the discovery and explorations of different sexualities and having to be in the closet for the first time. However, Luca cannot hide his secrets forever.

His family eventually finds out and decides to send him into the deep sea; the deep sea could be seen as a metaphor for conversion therapy, since it was going to take him further from the surface.

Luca runs away, and he and Alberto travel to the nearby town of Portorosso to live as humans. But as the sea monsters are prejudiced against humans, humans are prejudiced against sea monsters.

Luca and Alberto are constantly afraid of being hunted by fishermen and are harassed by one of the locals throughout the movie. They face discrimination, harassment and live in fear.

Luca and Alberto work to change the minds of both sea monsters and humans alike, that being different is not so bad, and that they have more in common than they think.

The pair eventually succeed, and the two societies learn to coexist happily.

But the real question is, “will that happen in reality?”