Pixar releases short films 'Float' and 'Wind ' by Asian Filmmakers on YouTube
Pixar has released two poignant SparkShorts created by Asian filmmakers on YouTube including Float by Filipino-American animator Bobby Rubio and Wind by Korean director Edwin Chang.
The SparkShorts program is an experimental storytelling initiative launched by the company to give voices to the diverse group of creators at Pixar Animation Studios.
The 7-minute Pixar short film Float depicts a Filipino father raising his son who has the ability to levitate, which causes him to worry about how different he is from other kids in the neighborhood. The touching film shows the father's attempts to hide his son from the outside world and his journey towards acceptance.
The film was first released in November 2019 through Disney+ which is not yet available in Southeast Asia, making this the first time many Filipinos around the world have had a chance to watch the film.
In an interview after the film’s initial release, Rubio explained that the groundbreaking film was inspired by his own experience of raising his son, who was diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
The short film, which was made available on YouTube has already amassed more than four million views since it was first uploaded last Saturday (Feb. 27).
Check out the inspiring film below.
Wind from Edwin Chang is a 9-minute long SparkShorts film that revolves around a young Korean boy and his grandmother who live amidst giant rocks in a chasm, scavenging supplies and working together to find a way out.
In a previous interview, Chang said that the film was inspired by his grandmother to honor her sacrifices as a single mother who took care of her kids and sent them to the US for them to live a better life.
Be sure to have tissues handy when you watch the full heart-wrenching short film.
The release of the two short films from Asian filmmakers featuring stories of Asian characters is Pixar’s way of showing solidarity with the Asian and Pacific Islander Communities in light of the recent increase of hate crimes against Asians and Asian-Americans in the US.
According to a statement released by Pixar, the decision to make the two films widely available is to amplify the voices of organizations that fight for civil rights and stand against hate.
"We are proud of the onscreen representation in this short and have decided to make it widely available, in celebration of what stories that feature Asian characters can do to promote inclusion everywhere," the statement reads.
Float and Wind are available for streaming on YouTube for a limited time only.
(Images via Pixar)