Vivo

An animated film set in Cuba and built on music. Vivo is a kinkajou, a small tree-dwelling mammal. He plays alongside an old musician in a square in Havana. Years ago the man wrote a song for a woman he loved and never gave it to her. A letter arrives: she is giving a farewell concert in Miami. When the journey cannot happen, delivering the song falls to Vivo. On the road he is joined by Gabi, a ten-year-old who is entirely herself, like nobody else, and full of energy. The main material is music. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the songs and voices Vivo. The numbers put Cuban music and hip hop together, and the lyrics work as part of the narrative. The visuals use two techniques: computer animation for the main story, hand-drawn 2D for the memory sections. It was made by Sony Pictures Animation and shown directly on a streaming service. A pleasant choice for anyone who likes musical animation and family films. On the narrative side it follows a familiar road story; its real strength is in the songs.