Mulan premiered on June 5th, 1998. Lauded by audiences and critics alike, the film was a huge success, earning nominations for two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. Decades later, it remains one of the most beloved Disney classics of all time. This past autumn, Gallery Nucleus proudly celebrated the film with a tribute exhibition for Mulan’s 20th anniversary.

The enthusiastic response to this exhibition is a testament to its beautiful storytelling, iconic characters, and empowering message that is sure to inspire generations to come. We spoke with brothers Tony Bancroft (co-director of Mulan), and Tom Bancroft (supervising animator on Mushu) about their thoughts on the exhibition and the film all these years later.     

                  

                                 Tony Bancroft                                                                         Tom Bancroft

What would you say was your biggest challenge in working on Mulan? 

What did you love about working on the film? 

We had such an enthusiastic response to the 20th Anniversary Tribute Show. Why do you think Mulan is still so beloved after all this time? 

Going off of that, in many ways, Mulan subverted the typical “Disney Princess” model of her time. What are your thoughts on the ways in which the film challenged traditional gender roles? 

Tony: It was all about gender roles!  In some regards we played with this in a comical way (“A Girl Worth Fighting For”) and in other ways in heartfelt ways (Mulan’s “Reflection" song) but either way, we dug deep into the topic of what traditionally was a women’s and what was a man’s role especially in China during that time period. But the impact is felt by the audience who, no matter what time or place, can relate with Mulan and her feelings of not being able to be who she is inside. She’s one of the only Disney “princesses” that doesn’t change through the journey of the story. Her change comes by changing who all of China views her as a woman.   

Tom, you’ve worked on so many Disney classics over the years (Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Tarzan... the list goes on!). How did your experience on Mulan differ from the other films you've worked on? 

Tom: So many Disney films are just plain fun. Entertaining. Only a few have touched people in a deeper way. I know I was working on all the sections of the film that were meant to be funny (working on Mushu), but as a young father at the time, I walked away from the experience surprised by the heart of the film. It hit me sometime after we released the film that it wasn't the humor that I was most proud of, but the fact that we had reintroduced the word "honor" back into society. Especially American culture. Honoring your family and your important place in that family is something I want my children to always hold on to.

What excites you about the future of animation, and the types of stories being told? 

Tony: What excites me about the future of animation is the never-ending exploration into the medium and the kinds of stories we can tell and involve audiences in. I’m equally excited to see more and more women joining the talent pool of creators they will be the ones to bring new stories and experiences to audiences like we have never seen before.

And finally, any thoughts on the upcoming live-action adaptation? 

Tony and Tom Bancroft host a show called The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast. Find Tony on Twitter and Instagram, and Tom on Twitter and Instagram.

Written by Lila Selle. 

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