10 Feel Good Family-Friendly Movies Featuring Diversity

Posted on September 11, 2019 | by Felisha Liu

Family Movies To Watch That Celebrate Diversity

Looking for a fun family activity? Why not stay in and watch family friendly movies that are not only entertaining, but also celebrate diversity and have important messages. Below is a list of four family friendly films to watch this summer.

Mulan (1998)

Mulan is a classic Disney fairy-tale – based on ancient Chinese legends, a young girl disguises herself as a male warrior to take her sick father’s place in the army. Mulan has strong themes of women empowerment, bravery, and also educates the audience on Chinese traditions and practices. It’s definitely a great idea to watch the 1998 animation film before it becomes a live action blockbuster next spring! To watch the live action trailer, which was only just released, click here.

Akeela And The Bee (2006)

Akeela And The Bee tells a story of an 11-year old girl has a talent for spelling and enters the National Spelling Bee. This movie is important as it tackles culture conflicts, identity, and acceptance. In her African-American dominate neighbourhood, school is viewed as a White-man’s game. At first, Akeela wants to fit in so she plays dumb and refuses to participate the Spelling Bee, however, through the mentorship of Mr. Larabee, an intellectually successful African-American man, she stays true to herself and finds success. Click here for the trailer.

Princess and the Frog (2009)

Watch the movie that showcases the first black Disney princess, Princess Tiana. She dreams of opening a restaurant in New Orleans, however, she meets Prince Naveen – in a frog’s body. This film is a definite must-watch for families who want to instil trust, promises, and to always look beyond the surface. Click here for the trailer!

Big Hero 6 (2014)

Big Hero 6 is a movie about dreaming big, courage, and the importance of friendship. Complete with a robot, Baymax, who was designed to only heal and to never hurt, this anti-violence hero movie is the perfect movie for family movie night. The film celebrates representation and follows 14-year-old kid genius, Hiro Hamada, and his tech-savvy group of heroes. Click to watch the trailer.

A Ballerina’s Tale (2015)

This dance documentary follows the true life story of Misty Copeland, the first African-American principal dancer at New York’s American Ballet Theatre. A Ballerina’s Tale is a behind-the-scenes look at Misty Copeland’s story, highlighting important themes such as overcoming adversity and racism. Strong themes of positive and healthy body image and perceptions are also stressed in the film. To watch the trailer, click here.

Zootopia (2016)

This family movie won an Oscar for Best Animated Feauture in 2017. Why? It’s not just a children’s movie about animals – it’s a story about inclusion and race relations. In the movie, the animals (both predators and prey) all coexist and cooperate with one another to form a society. The movie follows a small rabbit who is the first of her species to join the police department (often dominated by predators, not small rabbits). There is a definite reason why Zootopia is the fourth biggest animated film of all time – click here to watch the trailer.

Wonder (2017)

Based on the New York Times bestseller, Wonder tells the inspiring story of August Pullman, a boy with facial deformity, who attends fifth grade in a public elementary school for the first time. August must figure out how to connect what he feels like (ordinary) to what kind of person the rest of the world sees him as (anything but ordinary). The coming-of-age film addresses diversity in appearances, kindness, friendship, family, courage, and identity. Watch the trailer here.

The Breadwinner (2017)

This film is about Parvana, an 11-year-old girl who lives under Taliban rule in Afghanistan back in 2001. Parvana’s father was wrongfully arrested and she must support her family by cutting off her hair and dressing like a boy. Parvana’s quest to find her father, reunite her family, and never-ending perseverance makes this film one to watch. The overlying theme? Definitely courage. Here is the trailer.

Coco (2018)

A beautiful animated family film that emphasizes the importance of family, culture, immigration and minorities. Miguel dreams of becoming a musician but his family has banned music – Miguel travels to the colourful Land of the Dead to discover the real story behind his family history. Filled with many sing along songs, critics say this film is “a love letter to Mexico”. Click here to watch the trailer.

Aladdin (2019)

Aladdin is another classic happy ending fairy tale. This newly adapted live action film has casted true to it’s animated origins and showcases diversity and representation in every scene. The story of Aladdin revolves around identity, speaking up for what you believe in and to always stay true to yourself. The trailer can be found here.

Looking for more diversity in pop culture to share with your family? Check out our list of 5 Diversity Books to Read With Your Children.