Mexico tourism is poised to flourish with the latest surge of Chinese interest in the country, following the smashing success of Pixar’s latest animated film Coco. With Nanjing tourism agencies already busy arranging tours to Northern American countries, the United States and Canada, now a strong interest in Mexico has seen a third country added to that list.
The Yangtse Evening Post has revealed that only 1 week after the film’s release in China, Internet search volumes regarding Mexico increased by 180 percent. “North America has always been a favorite destination for Chinese tourists. In recent years, North American lines [of travel] are showing more diversity. Canada's natural scenery and the unique culture of Mexico has attracted a large number of tourists to to these countries”, said General Manager of Outbound Travel, Ying Jianfeng.
Connecting to the Chinese through familial devotion among other relatable content, the film has struck gold with Chinese audiences, whom are said to have cried under their 3D glasses at the end of the film. As a result Coco has won top place as the highest grossing Pixar film in China. Indeed, 1 week after its release in Mexico in October earlier this year, it became the highest ever grossing movie in Mexico.
The spectacular popularity of Coco in China has surprised everyone, especially those not even expecting the film to ever be allowed in theatres, for it quite clearly goes against the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television censorship guidelines, published in 2008, in which section 4 states that films showing contents of murder, violence, terror, ghosts and the supernatural should be cut or altered.
The word on the street (weibo) is that censors were prepared to cut the film and or not allow it at all, however, after watching the film they were “so moved to tears by the story’s warmth and happy ending”, that they allowed the film to grace theatres and without any cuts.
Perhaps it is the story’s deep recognition of familial devotion or its honorable protection of the memory of ancestors that has struct such a deep cord with the Chinese people. Not only has the Chinese Internet erupted in emotional salutes to the film, but the Mexican Internet too, writes Maira Garcia for the New York Times; “So overcome with emotion upon seeing a depiction of a family and household that closely resembles their own”. Whatever it may be, Coco and its upbeat passion for family and culture has opened a gateway of curiosity between two of the most passionate and rising countries in the world today.
