In response to the growing violence against Asian Americans, Pixar Animation Studios has released two exclusive Disney+ SparkShorts that center on Asian culture.
The short films, titled “Wind” and “Float,” are now available to watch for free on the studio’s official YouTube channel.
In a statement last week, Pixar expressed solidarity with the Asian American community, condemning anti-Asian hate “in all its forms.”
“We are proud of the onscreen representation in both of these shorts and have decided to make them widely available, in celebration of what stories that feature Asian characters can do to promote inclusion everywhere.”
Written and directed by Edwin Chang, “Wind” follows a Korean boy and his grandmother as they attempt to escape an endless chasm. The nine-minute film has been dubbed “a tribute to immigrant sacrifices.”
Meanwhile, “Float” follows a Filipino father who struggles with his son’s unique ability to defy gravity. The seven-minute film was written and directed by Bobby Rubio.
“The SparkShorts program is designed to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows,” said President Jim Morris. The program provides “an opportunity to unlock the potential of individual artists and their inventive filmmaking approaches on a smaller scale than [Pixar’s] normal fare.”
Last week, Disney+ also released a statement on Twitter to express support to the Asian American community.
