Disney and Pixar’s Elio, premiering in theaters nationwide on June 20, is a must-see for families. Not only is the animation visually stunning, but in classic Pixar fashion, there are plenty of complex themes appropriate for a range of age groups.

Parents spoke with the cast and filmmakers about how this out-of-this-world entry should hit home for families.

Elio is a tween who loves science, learning about outer space, and testing his scientific experiments in real time. But, he’s also experiencing loneliness as he adjusts to a new life with his Aunt Olga; and even struggling at his new school.

Yearning to understand where he truly belongs, Elio makes contact with alien lifeforms who mistake him for Earth’s leader and whisk him off to a place known as the "Communiverse". Now, away from home, Elio must learn embrace who he truly is.

Under the direction of Madeline Sharafian (“Burrow” Sparkshort), Domee Shi (“Bao” short, “Turning Red”), and Adrian Molina (co-screenwriter/co-director of “Coco”), and produced by Mary Alice Drumm (associate producer of “Coco”), the film features the voices of Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga, Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa, and Shirley Henderson as OOOOO.

The use of color in Elio is just as gorgeous as the writing. Here's some of insight from the creators on the ingredients that brought the film to life.

“For the universe, our production designer, Harley Jessup, drew [inspiration from] stained glass for the colors and textures of these revolving discs, and also deep sea creatures for a lot of the aliens and some of the flora," Sharafian shares with Parents. "So, it does feel almost like this kind of glittering aquarium in a way. We needed it to be as beautiful and aspirational for Elio as possible so that when he sees it and the audience sees it for the first time, you're like, 'I do not want to leave. I have to stay here.'”

Grief, loss, and loneliness are big themes in Elio. Yet, the messaging does not come across as too heavy or overbearing. When constructing the messages of the film, the production team was mindful to consult with experts on how to mindfully approach the concepts for viewers young and old.

Drumm explains, “At Pixar, we really try to ground ourselves in as much research as we can. So we met with different psychologists talking about grief and talking about loneliness. And even [talking with] people on the crew [who] have experienced that kind of loss–we tried to just ground ourselves in that. I think we all feel that we have had these moments where we want to run away. So that was a benefit working on the film, [as it's something] so many people experience.” 

There’s also great messaging on the importance of expressing feelings.

“A lot of people who are lonely don't express it. They hide it," says Shi. "It feels shameful, because it’s like 'Is there something wrong with me? I'm probably the only person who's feeling that way', even though that's not the case at all."

Shi goes on to reference a simple, but important moment in the film where Elio and his alien companion named Glordon truly bond after a great day in the Communiverse.

"They're sitting with each other on this bridge, and that's when Elio truly does open himself up for the very first time to another person," she says. "He expresses his deep, dark fear of 'What if there's something wrong with me?' But then that's all it takes [to find connection].”

For parents, there's plenty to chew on as well–ideas that touch on the empathetic as well as the challenging. For instance, the character Glordon loves and respects his father, Lord Grigon. But Lord Grigon has high expectations of Glordon, which cause him to feel an amount of pressure that takes a toll.

Brad Garrett, who plays Lord Grigon, expresses his view that too much helicoptering as a parent can be harmful.

“You see this a lot unfortunately, when your kids play sports. And, you see some of the parents, typically the dads, who are living vicariously through their children and create pressure on them because they may feel deep down that they don't measure up the way they may have wanted to," he says. "It's really easy to pass that down to a child, especially if you're a parent who hasn't worked out your own stuff.” 

Garrett adds that parents need to learn to give kids space. “As parents, we always want to change the stuff in our childhood that maybe wasn't great, and sometimes we [overcorrect]. I was a little bit of a helicopter parent, where I had to learn to kind of back up a bit, not because I wanted [my kids] to achieve a certain level. I was just so worried about them being okay.”

Elio's Aunt Olga, played by Zoe Saldaña, finds herself torn between her professional ambition and her duties as a caregiver. To parents who may view the film and relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed by everything, Saldaña says it’s important to remember that seasons change. 

“It's always going to be a challenge to maintain your voice and continue filling in all these other spaces that you had before you decided to have a family," she notes. "But, children should always be the reason why you wake up every day, not the reason why you're exhausted."

She adds that exhaustion is a sign of an organizational issue. “I think that when you really take just a little more time to organize, and things start running smoother, it kind of eases the pressure, and the humanity of it all is to know that it's gonna be seasonal.”

Elio is another strong Pixar entry appropriate for all ages that not only entertains but it also presents opportunities for some much-needed discussions. However, some families may need to further dissect some of the more complex themes with kids afterwards.

The only real instance of violence in the movie is when a kid is punched in the eye.

There is no sexual innuendo in this movie.

Language

There is a character who gets bullied. But outside of some mature dialogue in some instances, there is no profanity or otherwise inappropriate language.