Disney, Pixar's ‘Elio' aims for the stars — and lands in the heart
Pixar's attention to detail in its animated films is well-known, from the way a blade of grass sways in the wind to a wisp of fuzz on a sleeve.
But for its latest feature, 'Elio,' directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian weren't just focused on visual realism. They wanted to zoom in on the mind of its namesake protagonist, an 11-year-old orphan who feels like he doesn't belong. In pursuit of emotional authenticity, they met with child psychologists and former U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to learn how children process grief and loneliness.
'As we were listening to these experts, I remember taking notes about things a lonely kid might do,' Sharafian told the Chronicle in a joint video call with Shi and 'Elio' producer Mary Alice Drumm from Pixar's Emeryville studio. 'For example, they might say 'I'm lonely' and that's a big step, because the feeling of loneliness is often accompanied by a lot of shame and guilt that their situation is all their fault.'
'Elio' is about space, both the one overhead and the one that forms around you. The boy (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) is an adventurous wannabe space cadet craving intergalactic connection because that's the only place he thinks he fits in. His extraterrestrial-hunting aunt Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldaña) assumes Elio's caretaker role — that is, until he accidentally gets beamed into the Communiverse.
In the Communiverse, a United Nations-like assembly for alien civilizations, Elio thrives as Earth's ambassador. He earns the trust of the assembly's officials and makes friends with roly poly larval alien Glordon (voiced by Remy Edgerly). Unfortunately, Glordon's dad Lord Grigon (voiced by Brad Garrett) wants to rule the Communiverse, so the young duo embark on an adventure to prevent dad's hostile takeover and get Elio back home.
It's no coincidence that the character's name 'Elio' is derived from Elliott, a.k.a. the bicycle-flying, extraterrestrial-harboring kid of the 1982 classic 'E.T.' In a lot of ways, 'Elio' shares similarities to Steven Spielberg's misfit boy-meets-thing premise except the alien in this case is the boy. And like E.T.'s finger and the best Pixar story lines, it's reliably touching and makes the heart glow.
'That helped me a lot for that emotional journey that he has,' said the 14-year-old actor. 'Elio has a great imagination and amazing spirit. He's always down for an adventure and he doesn't care about what other people think. And I can relate to that in a lot of ways.'
While the pandemic may have informed his performance in the film, 'Elio' still experienced significant roadblocks to launch.
Script rewrites were delayed by the 2023 writers' and actors' strike. In 2024, original director Adrian Molina was replaced by Shi ('Turning Red' and 'Bao,' which won the 2019 Academy Award for best animated short) and Sharafian ('Burrow'), who makes her feature directorial debut. As a result, its scheduled release date last year was pushed to 2025.
To get 'Elio' completed in a condensed time frame, the Pixar team implemented a strategy titled College Project, which assembled supervisors of all the film's departments into one room. It had the atmosphere of study group cram sessions that allowed for adjustments and quick approvals.
'We were all working in the room together because we were moving so fast,' said Shi. 'It was really fun and scrappy and collaborative. It felt like we were our own little Communiverse making this movie.'
Now 'Elio' is entering a crowded summer movie season against ' Despicable Me ' and ' Kung Fu Panda ' sequels. But producer Mary Alice Drumm said the team's focus isn't on the box office competition; the main job is to make the best, most entertaining film they can to keep families coming to the movies.
'People are hungry to be back in theaters together for amazing films that are beautiful on the big screen and about connection,' said Drumm. 'We feel like this is one of them.'
All of Pixar's trademark diligence and attention to emotional nuance is put on display in 'Elio.' Directors Shi and Sharafian have a reputation for deftly imbuing adventurous fun with humanity, a quality that continues to set their films apart.
Take, for instance, the character of Lord Grigon who wants his squishy son Glordon to carry on the family tyranny business. Glordon's line, 'I don't want to be a war machine,' is delivered with the determination of a shy 11-year-old wanting to quit piano lessons. It's a familiar dynamic to anyone who understands certain cultural expectations — especially those rooted in Asian households.
So, is Lord Grigon an Asian dad?
'I wish,' said Shi with a laugh, though the Chinese Canadian admitted some traits feel more Asian than alien. 'Lord Grigon is motivated by saving face. He was rejected by the Communiverse, and that really damaged his pride. I do feel Asians are all about saving face.'
Along with the emotional layers, 'Elio' is visually tantalizing, credited to visual effects supervisor Claudia Chung Sanii and veteran production designer Harley Jessup. The film is Jessup's last ride with Pixar before he retires, and his team left it all out on the storyboards.
Space vessels resemble intricate origami, foggy beaches and redwood forests drew inspiration from the craggy Southern Oregon and Sonoma coastlines. The aliens bring to mind underwater creatures like ribbon eels, sea slugs and leafy seadragons — a resemblance heightened by the glittering, zero-gravity Communiverse they inhabit.
Deeply embedded is an appreciation for sci-fi and horror, with easter eggs referencing 'The Thing,' 'Aliens' and 'Close Encounters' scattered throughout. 'Elio' earns its PG rating, but this being Pixar, the scares come with a wink. The aliens may look like they came out of a NyQuil fever dream, but their voices and rounded edges soften the eek factor.
'I feel like we strike that balance between scary and fun,' said Shi. 'I think about when I was a kid, how I liked to be scared sometimes. I loved Tim Burton movies. I loved 'Gremlins.' There is that sweet spot of scary-fun — a thrill.'
'Elio' closes on a hopeful, unifying note using the words of a famed astronomer not named Neil. Drumm feels it's an important message to send amid an outside world clouded by harmful rhetoric and tear gas.
'I think making a film about a place in space with people of a different species from different planets all working together resonates at all times,' said Drumm. 'At Pixar, we're always hoping to leave the audience with a little bit of hope and optimism. I think that's needed more than ever today.'
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