Coco

In Santa Cecilia, Mexico, Imelda Rivera's life takes a tragic turn when her musician husband abandons her and their daughter, Coco, to pursue his musical dreams. Heartbroken and betrayed, Imelda declares an end to music in their family and establishes a successful shoe-making business.

Almost a century later, Miguel, Imelda's great-great-grandson, dreams of becoming a musician, much to the dismay of his family, particularly his grandmother Elena. Despite the longstanding ban on music imposed by Imelda, Miguel idolizes the legendary singer Ernesto de la Cruz and longs to emulate his success.

Upon accidentally damaging a treasured family photo on the ofrenda, Miguel discovers an image of his great-great-grandfather holding Ernesto's famous guitar. This revelation convinces Miguel that Ernesto is part of his lineage, igniting a strong desire to perform in the upcoming Day of the Dead talent show.

Determined to showcase his talent, Miguel sneaks into Ernesto's mausoleum and takes the legendary guitar. This fateful decision transforms Miguel into a ghost, visible only to his loyal dog Dante and his skeletal relatives, as he is suddenly thrust into the Land of the Dead.

In the Land of the Dead, Miguel learns that removing Imelda's photograph from the ofrenda has placed a curse upon him. To escape and return to the living, Miguel must receive a blessing from a family member using an Aztec marigold petal before sunrise.

Imelda offers Miguel her blessing, but under the condition that he forsake music upon his return. Defiantly, Miguel refuses her terms and instead sets out on a mission to find Ernesto to receive his blessing, which he believes will secure his dream.

During his search, Miguel encounters Héctor, a lively skeleton with a connection to Ernesto through music. Héctor persuades Miguel to help locate his photo in the living world, believing it will reunite him with his long-lost daughter, and offers to aid Miguel in finding Ernesto.

Miguel infiltrates Ernesto's mansion and uncovers the painful truth about his ancestor's betrayal. He learns that after Héctor befriended Ernesto, he was poisoned to allow Ernesto to take credit for his music, leading to a painful realization about his family's past.

Trapped in a cenote pit alongside Héctor, Miguel discovers that Héctor is, in fact, his true great-great-grandfather and Coco is Héctor's beloved daughter. This revelation deepens Miguel's resolve to honor his family's legacy and reconnect Héctor with Coco.

With the help of Dante, now transformed into an alebrije, Miguel and Héctor are rescued by the Rivera family. They uncover the tragic truth of Héctor's demise and begin to foster forgiveness and understanding amongst the family.

As Miguel and his family confront Ernesto during a concert, they work together to expose his treachery. Ernesto's fate is sealed when a church bell, symbolic of his downfall, falls upon him, highlighting the consequences of his deceitful actions.

Facing the imminent threat of being forgotten by Coco, Héctor's fate begins to grow precarious. In a moment of unconditional love, Imelda surprising grants Miguel her blessing without any conditions, allowing him to return to the living world.

Back in the living world, Miguel uses a heartfelt song written by Héctor to rekindle Coco's memories of him. This emotional performance leads to a profound moment of connection and clarity, illuminating the relationships within the family.

With the memory of Héctor reignited in Coco's mind, the family reconciles, warmly embracing music once more. Miguel receives a torn photograph from Coco, revealing Héctor's face, which signifies their restored bond and shared memories.

One year later, Miguel proudly showcases the family ofrenda decorated with photographs of both Coco and Héctor, alongside a note chronicling Ernesto's actions. The community honors Héctor, allowing Imelda, Héctor, and Coco to joyfully reunite in the Land of the Dead, celebrating their family's legacy through music.