Pixar Features First Filipino Characters in Short Animated Film Float
Many Filipino animators have been recognized for their contribution to Disney and Pixar movies, including Monsters University, Big Hero 6, Wreck-It-Ralph, The Incredibles, and Tangled. It’s high time that Filipinos get media representation, and Pixar has done just that with a short film titled Float!
Written and directed by Bobby Rubio, Float follows the story of a father who discovers that his son is quite different from the other kids in a very unique way. Hence, the father—fearing judgment—keeps the child out of sight.
However, this was not meant to last as his son’s ability becomes public. Now the father must make a decision to either run and hide or accept his son for all that he is.
Float is a part of the SparkShorts program, an initiative by Pixar that is designed to explore and experiment with production techniques.
It's OFFICIAL! I can finally tell you I'm the #Writer / #Director of the #Pixar #SparkShort "Float"!
I'm so proud to be a part of this program and to be among these very talented people! And I have to give a shout-out to my wonderful and talented crew, Team Float! https://t.co/08Q9FRVgRS
— Bobby Alcid Rubio (@Bobby_Rubio) January 10, 2019
Rubio first announced his involvement with SparkShorts on January 2019—the same month when he confirmed that the film features Filipino characters.
Additionally, Rubio proudly announced that Float features Pixar’s first CGI Filipino characters or Pixnoys, as he described in his tweet. He stressed the significance of the film and how fulfilling it is to have the Filipino culture represented in the media.
YES @rachjuramirez those are #Filipino lead characters in my #Pixar #SparkShort! @Pixar’s first all #CGI Filipino characters! So technically, the first #Pixnoys! I am proud to tell our stories. I know what it means to see our culture represented on screen! #RepresentationMatters https://t.co/Xh3UKfKmRt
— Bobby Alcid Rubio (@Bobby_Rubio) January 13, 2019
The film will be made available for streaming on November 12, 2019, which is also the USA launch of Disney+.
Disney+ is Disney’s own online entertainment hub that features Disney Classics, as well as other series and movie titles. The application will be available for mobile devices, consoles, streaming media players, and smart TVs.
https://www.facebook.com/DisneyPlus/photos/a.1862681273834240/1862681203834247/?type=3&theater
As of writing, there is no specific date when Disney+ will be launched in the Philippines.
Sources: Pixar.com, Bobby Rubio’s Official Twitter
Images grabbed from Disney+’s official Facebook page.
