Mexico is the primary cultural setting of Pixar’s Coco.
The film draws on Mexican traditions, places, music, crafts, family structures, and the Día de Muertos holiday. Miguel’s hometown of Santa Cecilia is fictional, but it was designed using visual and cultural references from Mexico.
Coco’s story is not set in one precisely identified real Mexican city. Santa Cecilia is an invented town created for the film, which allows the filmmakers to combine regional influences while building a focused fictional community.
The film’s Land of the Dead is also inspired by Mexican artistic traditions, especially the bright colors, marigolds, papel picado, and family remembrance associated with Día de Muertos. These details support the story without treating the holiday as merely a spooky Halloween setting.