The cinema is full of references to the role water plays in our lives; fruit of numerous conflicts in both real life and fiction, the underlying message should not be taken in vain. This time, the importance of water becomes co-protagonist of a story that explores fear of the unknown, the consequences of our actions and respect for the environment and other cultures in Disney’s latest film. The 3D computer-animated musical fantasy film conveys the story of a journey to maturity and freedom, where water does not forget: Frozen 2.
During the reign of Elsa and Anna’s grandfather, a large dam connects Arendelle (name of the protagonists’ kingdom) and the Northuldra tribe, who live in the Enchanted Forest in harmony with the four elements of nature (earth, wind, fire and water). However, while the water infrastructure seems to be what will bring together the two communities, it becomes the scene of a fight that infuriates the spirits of the elements of Nature. What is the real reason that Nature, through its spirits, decides to turn this forest into an impregnable land?
A large dam connects Arendelle (name of the protagonists’ kingdom) and the Northuldra tribe
Without revealing much of the plot line, the origin of Elsa’s powers (a great unknown in Frozen 1) reveals itself in this confrontation. Elsa, now Queen, decides to visit the Enchanted Forest along with the other protagonists of the film. Here, the young Queen displays her incredible powers to face the element spirits themselves (and her destiny), and this is where water uncovers its relevance.
On one hand, the water’s capacity of memory. In the film, the combination of Elsa’s powers with the spirit of the Wind creates a set of ice sculptures to tell a story of the past: the events that took place during the confrontation at the dam. This fact refers to the term water memory (a controversial hypothesis by Jacques Benveniste), whose research was taken up by the Nobel Prize winner Dr. Luc Montagnier to demonstrate that water keeps information about substances it has been in contact with. Although the reference to the film has little to do with the reason behind this research, the fact that water helps to reconstruct the past makes a lot of sense. Or did civilizations not prosper precisely because of water?
Like ice and water, human beings can change and there is still time to face the challenges of the future by fixing the mistakes of the past
On the other hand, reference is also made to the water’s strength and, at the same time, to its purifying symbolism. In literature, examples such as William Faulkner’s novel ‘As I Agonize’ and Ophelia’s drowning in ‘Hamlet’ both use rivers as the centre piece where the main scenes take place. In the case of Frozen 2, Else confronts the force of the ocean by using unimaginable powers to reach Ahtohallan, a mythical river that can explain the past, where she will find the answers to all her questions and where, she finally, finds herself.
But the story doesn’t end when Elsa finally finds out the origin of her powers. The initial conflict between the two completely different cultures united (or divided?) by a huge dam is still to be solved.
Finally, Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Snow Queen” once again inspires the story of the sisters Elsa and Anna in Frozen 2, which, mixed with Scandinavian folklore and Norwegian mythology, impregnate viewers with more than just a children’s film full of songs. This story needed to be told because, like ice and water, human beings can change and there is still time to face the challenges of the future by fixing the mistakes of the past. Let us all find our own inner power. Shall we make a snowman?
