Elemental

Elemental is a 2023 animated feature from Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream. Set in Element City, the film imagines a metropolis inhabited by residents associated with fire, water, earth, and air. Its central character, Ember Lumen, is a young fire element voiced by Leah Lewis. She lives with her immigrant parents, Bernie and Cinder, who run a neighborhood shop called the Fireplace. Bernie, voiced by Ronnie del Carmen, expects Ember to inherit the business when he retires. Ember is devoted to her family and capable at the shop, but her temper can flare when customers are rude or demanding. During one such outburst, a broken pipe causes flooding in the Fireplace basement. The resulting water damage brings Wade Ripple, a cheerful water-element city inspector voiced by Mamoudou Athie, into Ember’s life. Wade files a report that could force the Fireplace to close because it violates Element City building regulations. Ember initially tries to stop him, but the two discover that the shop’s problem is connected to a damaged waterway and a large leak beneath the city. As they investigate, they grow closer despite a practical obstacle: fire and water are physically incompatible in their world. Ember’s parents also disapprove of her relationship with Wade, especially because Bernie had hoped she would preserve the family business and follow established fire-community traditions. The story draws partly on Sohn’s family background. Sohn has said that the film was inspired by his experience as the son of Korean immigrants and by questions about family expectations, identity, and relationships across cultural boundaries. Brenda Hsueh, John Hoberg, and Kat Likkel received screenplay credit, while Sohn, Hoberg, and Hsueh received story credit. Elemental premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 27, 2023, as the festival’s closing film. Disney released it theatrically in the United States on June 16, 2023. Its voice cast also includes Shila Ommi as Cinder Lumen, Wendi McLendon-Covey as Gale Cumulus, and Catherine O’Hara as Brook Ripple. The film’s animation required Pixar artists to create distinct behavior for the elemental characters. Ember’s flames shift with her emotions, Wade’s body moves and deforms like water, and air and earth characters are designed around clouds and plants. Thomas Newman composed the score, continuing a long collaboration with Pixar that includes Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Finding Dory. Lauv performed the film’s original song, “Steal the Show.” At the 96th Academy Awards, Elemental received a nomination for Best Animated Feature. It was also nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globe Awards.