Now, Let’s Talk About Bruno
This article contains spoilers for Disney’s Encanto
One of the 2021’s highest grossing animated film, Encanto, perhaps rings a bell to our ears. As another Disney’s project representing people of color to its mesmerizing soundtracks and vibrant settings, Encanto has a place in people’s hearts especially mine.
Encanto picks up themes of family expectations, love acceptance, sibling rivalry, and generational trauma. This film is about The Madrigals who happen to be an extraordinary family living in magical place called Encanto. The miracle of Encanto has blessed every child of The Madrigals with unique gifts but Mirabel Madrigal. However, she later becomes the last hope to save the mircale of Encanto which is now in danger.
Welcome to the Family Madrigal
Where all the people are fantastical and magical
Although Encanto centers around Mirabel’s adventure saving the magic of Encanto, one character in the film has caught my interest. There is one particular phrase — or a song — which has captured my ears throughout the movie. That phrase is “We don’t talk about Bruno”.
Therefore, who is Bruno? What has happened to Bruno? Why do we not talk about Bruno?
The Madrigals is led by the matriarch Abuela Alma Madrigal. Each of her children and grandchildren has unique gifts but Mirabel. Mirabel’s mother, Julieta, has the ability to heal people through her cooking. Her eldest sister, Isabela has the ability to conjure beautiful flower while her other sister Luisa possesses great physical strength. Her Aunt Pepa is able to control weather with emotions. Her cousins have super-hearing ability, shape-shifting, and communicating with animals.
Their gifts may have helped the well-being of the community in Encanto but there is one gift seen as a curse. It was Bruno Madrigal’s. Bruno has the ability to see the future.
The gift bestowed upon Bruno creates divisive reactions. His visions are regarded as threats instead of blessings. Inciting the townspeople talking about Bruno’s gift, “Your fate is sealed when your prophecy is read”. This line indicates that there is no ability to influence the future, regardless of what you try. The prophecies delivered by Bruno create paranoia among people even his own family members. Thus leading Bruno to flee from his own family.
Let’s talk about how Bruno could have a better situation
Regarding to one topic I have learned in my first XL Future Leaders workshop about effective communication. It seems to me that Bruno’s situation could have been better if he has the competency to communicate his prophecies effectively.
One particular scene shows Bruno is incompetent to communicate effectively is told in two soundtracks of Encanto. In the song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, a story in which is recounted by Bruno’s sister Pepa who has the ability to controls weather with her emotions. She was told by Bruno that rain would arrive on her wedding day. Bruno’s words flooded her brain causing her unable to control emotions and creating hurricane during her wedding day.
Bruno says, “It looks like rain”
In doing so, he floods my brain
Married in a hurricane
Upon the salvation of Bruno, in the song “All Of You”, it is revealed that regarding to Pepa’s wedding, he actually was not talking about prophecy. But rather it was that he was seeing his sister nervous and sweating. All those years, it turns out they have been having a great misunderstanding.
Pepa, I’m sorry ‘bout your wedding, didn’t mean to be upsetting
That wasn’t a prophecy, I could just see you were sweating
When learning about effective communication at the workshop, I have some key takeaways. I found that people have different interpretations of things. All of us have different perspectives and level of understandings. As to why effective communication is important. It is the key to connect those differences into one vision, one understanding.
Another interesting thing I found during workshop is that effective communication is not unique ability which only some can possess but rather a competency that can be developed and should be developed. Competency itself is the capability to use knowledge, skills, and abilities successfully in a given context. It also depends on confidence and builds up through momentums.
Bruno’s visions and words have immense influence on others. Let’s imagine if Bruno was able to communicate effectively about his visions. I believe his gifts would never be seen as a curse or himself as a villain. Moreover, he would have been able avoid all conflicts he faces throughout the movies at the first place.
Through Encanto, specifically Bruno, we have learned the importance of effective communication. We also learn that effective communication is one competency which can be developed by everyone. My question is: are you encouraged to develop your effective communication competency?
(Jakarta, February 2022)
