4 Small-Budget Day of the Dead Movies That You Need to See This Month

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Oct 15, 2020 04:03 AM EDT

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The Day of the Dead is coming soon, and it's about time we unearth some small-budget movies that did a great job in depicting this dazzling holiday.

If treated well, many traditions that come with the Day of the Dead can be captivating in a movie. Unlike Halloween's spooky elements, it celebrates a broader aspect of human life, said blog site dayofthedead.holiday.

With the beautiful imagery established by the holiday, it's no doubt that the Day of the Dead is an interesting ambience that many movie viewers find charming.

One great example of this is the animated feature film "Coco" that follows a child named Miguel and his family's generations-long ban against music. In true Disney fashion, it gained many awards from Golden Globe to Critics' Choice awards.

It's an energetic musical movie that showed children what the holiday was about.

But it wouldn't have been as magical if it weren't for the big-budget provided by animated movie giants Disney and Pixar, said Cultura Colectiva.

There are many movies that portray the magic of the Day of the Dead, and they don't come with such a hefty budget. They showed that this holiday is not just a colorful three-day celebration but a unique connection to the afterlife.

La Leyenda de la Nahuala (2007)

This animated movie is set in the early 19th century in New Spain. It features a young boy protagonist trying to discover the truth about a legend his brother told him about.

With the help of some saints and supernatural creatures, he uncovers the story behind the Nahuala in an old abandoned house.

Once all the mysteries were uncovered, all the animated feature characters get to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in harmony.

Día de los Muertos (2013)

Yet another animated film, this movie is only a few minutes long.

The movie's premise is quite simple: a young girl is taken to the Land of the Dead and learns about the true meaning of the holiday.

She is met with the beautiful imagery of the three-day holiday, from the dancing skeletons and mariachis, until she finds a loved one in the Land of the Dead.

It has many symbolisms, and the magic of the Day of the Dead through a very simple gesture translated in 3D animation.

Since it's only a few minutes short, we suggest you see the whole touching short animation on season 2 of Film School Shorts.

Macario (1960)

While the movie Macario is already decades old, it doesn't fail in depicting the Latino cultural view on death.

Macario is obsessed with the idea of death, along with his own lowly life as a peasant. In less than two hours, we get to know about the titular character and his life in what was then New Spain, now Mexico.

As an adaptation from a Grimm brothers tale inspired novel by Bruno Traven, this movie is best known as a fantasy-drama. It offers a wonderful introduction to the mood that comes with the Day of the Dead.

The Book of Life (2014)

Perhaps one of the movies in this list that can match Coco in popularity is The Book of Life, and it's not just because Channing Tatum starred in it.

The movie also made a great musical and fantastical twist to the Land of the Dead and Land of the Forgotten. Even though it has $50 million in its budget, it is still a lower production price compared to Coco's almost $200 million base.

ECG Productions noted that while The Book of Life focused on a Mexican holiday, it talks to a mostly American and European audience.

It's a movie that offers well-paced fun times that makes the viewers wonder about the holiday's meanings.