Where In Italy Is Pixar’s Luca Set?

Pixar’s Luca is set in a fictional town, but it’s inspired by director Enrico Casarosa’s childhood on Italy’s coast, as well as local folklore.

Pixar has chosen to set their latest movie, Luca, in the fictional Italian town of Portorosso, but the location is based on real small towns in Italy. Released on Disney+ June 18^th, 2021, the movie comes off the heels of Disney and Pixar’s recent animations Soul and Raya and the Last Dragon. Here’s the real-life inspiration behind Luca’s setting.

Departing from Soul’s rumination on mortality and life’s purpose, and Southeast Asian folklore with Raya, director Enrico Casarosa’s Luca presents a simple coming-of-age tale on the sun-soaked Italian coast. Telling the story of young sea creatures marveling at the human world, the premise draws instant similarities to 1989 classic The Little Mermaid.

Related: Luca: Why The Reviews Are So Positive

Luca marks Casarosa’s feature directorial debut, after working as a Pixar storyboard artist and helming the Academy Award-nominated La Luna in 2011. The sea monster elements were inspired by Italian regional folklore, while the movie’s fishing town is based on the idyllic locations of the Italian Riviera. The movie is clearly very personal to Casarosa, who contributed his fond childhood memories to the movie’s plot and themes.

Hailing from Genoa, Italy, and having spent his summers on the coast, Casarosa’s youth is firmly rooted in the story of Luca. The movie’s protagonist and ocean dweller, Luca Paguro (Jacob Trembley) is encouraged by his friend, Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer of Shazam!), to pose as humans as they navigate a small coastal town one summer. Alberto is based on Casarosa’s real-life childhood best friend of the same name, with whom the director enjoyed many summers in the 1980s. The Pixar film’s characters reportedly reflect how Casarosa was more introverted, while Alberto was more carefree and prone to mischief. As the director told Entertainment Weekly, “I was timid and kinda shy, and he was following a passion every week. I would just run around the old town in Genoa, which is kinda dicy.” From the cobbled streets and colorful buildings to the local fishermen and cuisine, the movie’s Portorosso may be fictional, but the atmosphere vividly reflects the actual Italian Riviera.

Luca, which was discreetly teased in Soul, contains several mythical elements. Casarosa commented on his childhood fascination with illustrations of sea monsters on old maps. In the same interview, he recalled how the coastal area of Cinque Terre was full of local legends of sea dragons and other creatures: “You find out later it’d be tall tales to protect their favorite fishing spot.” The idea of combining fantastical elements with otherwise serene locations is always interesting and provides a great means of educating audiences about different cultures. It’s easy to see how these legends land Luca’s best friends in a lot of trouble. It’s clear the filmmakers also want the world to feel natural, as Casarosa told D23 how he sent an art team to the Italian Rivera to research its people and rich culture.

Although evoking the nostalgia of 1950s and 1960s Italy, predating the director’s childhood, Luca is clearly a labor of love for Casarosa. The Italian setting and time period easily evoke the feel-good nature of golden age classics like Roman Holiday. However, the director’s personal attachment and use of local legends suggest the movie will stand out as an imaginative adventure of its own.

Next: How To Watch Pixar’s Luca (Is It Premier Access)?

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