Disney has released a new short film starring a plus-size girl as its hero. Reflect, the sixth short film in Season 2 of Disney’s Animation Studios Short Circuit Experimental Films, shows a young ballet dancer overcoming self-doubt upon looking in the mirror while practising her craft.
The short film was born from a place of wanting to reflect on the importance of being positive about one’s body — according to the film’s director, Hillary Bradfield.
“I feel like I’m a very body positive person in principle,” Bradfield said in the film’s introduction.
“On a more personal level, it’s a lot harder to be body positive.”
“When people watch the short, I hope that they can feel more positively about themselves.”
Bradfield was also part of the Art Department in huge Disney films including Encanto (2021), Frozen II (2019) and Avatar – The Way of Water (2022).
The short film, along with several others, are aimed at both entertaining and educating young people about a range of relatable topics, including the importance of family, kindness, laughter and friendship.
Two years ago, Disney launched a corrective initiative called “Stories Matter”, that aimed to review their historical collections and add advisories to content that includes negative depictions or mistreatment of people or cultures.
They also hope to release more content featuring diverse characters, which Reflect is evidently one example.