Learn About Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Nov 1 - Nov 2
What is Dia de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated on November 1 through November 2nd. Although marked throughout Latin America, Día de los Muertos is most strongly associated with Mexico, where the tradition originated. Día de los Muertos honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations, a typically Latin American custom that combines indigenous Aztec ritual with Catholicism, imposed on the region by Spanish conquistadores.
(Día de los Muertos is celebrated on All Saints Day and All Souls Day, minor holidays in the Catholic calendar.)Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, Día de los Muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life. Día de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community. On Día de los Muertos, the dead are also a part of the community, awakened from their eternal sleep to share celebrations with their loved ones. The most familiar symbol of Día de los Muertos may be the calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls), which appear everywhere during the holiday: in candied sweets, as parade masks, as dolls. Calacas and calaveras are almost always portrayed as enjoying life, often in fancy clothes and entertaining situations.
How Is the Day of the Dead Celebrated?
On the Day of the Dead, it’s believed that the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve. During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance, and play music with their loved ones. In turn, the living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations, and leave the deceased’s favorite foods and other offerings at gravesites or on the ofrendas built in their homes. Ofrendas can be decorated with candles, bright marigolds called cempasuchil and red cock’s combs alongside food like stacks of tortillas and fruit.
Movies about Dia de los Muertos 🎥
Coco
Coco follows 12-year-old Miguel as he explores the Land of the Dead and gets help from the spirit of his great-great-grandfather to return home and bring music back to his family‘s life. Coco won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 2018 Oscars.
How to watch: Stream Coco on Disney+.
Once Upon A Time in Mexico
An action classic Once Upon A Time in Mexico has a star-studded cast (Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Enrique Iglesias and Willem Dafoe, to name a few), with a pivotal scene going down during Día de Los Muertos celebrations. It’s the final film in Banderas’ El Mariachi trilogy, which also features El Mariachi (1992) and Desperado (1995).
How to watch: Stream Once Upon A Time in Mexico on HBO Max or rent it from Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube.
Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life
This documentary explores the origins and customs of the Day of the Dead, its cultural significance and its rich history. It’s a great primer for those who want to learn more about the holiday’s significance and meaning.
How to watch: Rent Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Google Play.
The Book of Life
Zoe Saldana, Diego Luna, Danny Trejo, Christina Applegate, Ron Perlman and Channing Tatum are among the voice cast of The Book of Life, which follows a battle between two mortal men, one each paired with La Muerte and Xibalba, who battle for the heart (and hand in marriage) of the same woman.
How to watch: Stream The Book of Life on Disney+.