Are the kids in luca gay

Sea monsters that can become human when dry but change back to sea monsters when they get wet? Beautiful animated shots of the Italian Riviera? Young friendship with mild gay undertones? When the release date came, I was perfectly happy to pull open my laptop and enjoy a tight 95 minutes of friendship and fun.

Prove something to the world? Maybe a combination of all three. Moments and scenes are there to move along the relationships rather than moving a plot along. The friendship between Luca and Alberto, however, is the real core of the film. But it is worth thinking about the implications of this film and its potential as a gay narrative.

Director and writer Enrico Casarosa in his feature-length debut has insisted that the story, based on his own experience meeting his childhood best friend, is purely based on platonic friendship. Relationships between people sometimes change as children grow into themselves; the love between Luca and Alberto is a strong platonic love, but even if they are not explicitly gay, that does not mean they are straight.

There are also layers within the film — prominent speeches about fear and acceptance, for example — that point to the possibility of the sea monsters being an allegory for queer identities, or for anyone who is perceived as different in society.

‘Luca,’ childhood friendship and the discourse around gay fish

Besides, having a film about two boys who care deeply about each other without a lot of the machismo that has been normalized in society is a rare gift in and of itself. With Luca and Alberto, the nature of the relationship matters less than the strength of it — and boy, is it strong.

In the interest of creating a clear divide between the good and the bad, Ercole is a classic Disney villain with literally no redeeming qualities and no character development. They invite you into the world with a beautifully animated interpretation of the Italian coast and plenty of Italian jazz in the background.

Even with touches of emotion or melancholy, the film maintains a simple, pleasant tone. And while there is a complex discourse, it only makes the film richer for those viewing it. This image is from Disney's official Youtube channel. Daily Arts writer Kari Anderson can be reached at kariand umich.