Luca (film) Animated feature from Pixar Animation Studios. Luca Paguro is a young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta, and endless scooter rides in the beautiful seaside town of Portorosso on the Italian Riviera. He shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, Alberto Scorfano, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface. Digitally released June 18, 2021, on Disney+, in conjunction with a limited run at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood through June 24. This followed a June 17 international release and screening at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Directed by Enrico Casarosa. Voices include Jacob Tremblay (Luca), Jack Dylan Grazer (Alberto), Emma Berman (Giulia), Saverio Raimondo (Ercole), Maya Rudolph (Daniela), Marco Barricelli (Massimo), Jim Gaffigan (Lorenzo), Sandy Martin (Grandma Paguro). 95 min. Music by Dan Romer. The filmmakers took inspiration from Italian myths and 1950s–1960s pop culture, especially classic films like La Strada and Roman Holiday, with additional influences from Japanese animation and woodblock prints. Alberto was based on Casarosa’s own childhood best friend of the same name; actor Jack Dylan Grazer did not have to travel far to perform his dialogue for the character—he recorded every line inside his mother’s closet. Meanwhile, all of the background kid voices were recorded by local children in Italy. Received an Academy Award nomination for Animated Feature.
