Check out some notable shorts that debuted in theaters alongside Disney and Pixar films
“Elements”, from Disney and Pixar, is now available in the Disney+ catalog! Directed by Peter SohnPixar Studios’ 27th animation chronicles the seemingly impossible romance of Faísca — a spirited woman in her twenties, full of humor and with an unconditional love for her family, although her temper is somewhat fiery — and Gota is an empathetic young man , observant and extroverted, who does not hesitate to express his emotions, sometimes even in an uncontrolled way.
The premiere of the new feature also resumed the studio’s tradition of showing a short film before the start of the film. Anyone who saw “Elements” in theaters first saw “Carl’s Date”, a production written and directed by Oscar nominee and Emmy winner, Bob Petersonand produced by Kim Collinsalso now available in the Disney+ catalogue.
The short brings back Carl Fredricksen and his adorable talking dog Dug, from “Up: High Adventures”. Carl reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a friend—but admittedly has no idea how dating works these days.
Always a helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl’s pre-date jitters and offers some tried-and-true tips for making friends—if you’re a dog.
Taking advantage of this return, Disney and Pixar look back at the last six shorts shown in theaters — all available on Disney+. After all, who doesn’t remember Geri playing chess with himself in “Geri’s Game” before the screening of “A Bug’s Life”, right? Check it out below:
1. Bao — Shown in theaters with Incredibles 2 (2018)
In “Bao” a Chinese mother who is sad when her son leaves home gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings makes a living. Excited by this opportunity, she does everything for the joy of her new friend, but the dumpling begins to grow quickly, and the mother must embrace the bittersweet truth that nothing stays pretty and small forever.
Directed by Chinese illustrator Domee Shithe short that was shown in 2018 together with “Incredibles 2” won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 2019, being the fourth consecutive Pixar short shown in theaters nominated in the category.
2. Lou — Shown in theaters with Cars 3 (2017)
Written and directed by Dave Mullins, the short features Lou, a creature made of various forgotten objects who lives in a lost and found box at a school. When a bully named JJ starts to hinder Lou’s work of finding the owners of lost objects by stealing them, the creature shows the boy the sentimental value that lost toys can have for their owners.
Initially released at the SXSW Film Conference in the United States, the short that debuted in theaters alongside “Cars 3” received the award for Best Animated Short Film at the 2018 Oscars.
3. Piper: Discovering the World — Shown in theaters with Finding Dory (2016)
“Piper: Discovering the World” features a newborn bird afraid of the ocean as he tries to feed on the beach sand. The short directed by Alan Barillaro has a strong message about insecurity and overcoming fear, which earned the production the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 2017.
4. Sanjay’s Heroes — Shown in theaters with The Good Dinosaur (2015)
The short, directed by Sanjay Patel, features a young Indian boy who becomes absorbed in the world of cartoons and comics, while his father tries to draw him into the traditions of his Hindu practice. Boredom and reluctance quickly turn into an inspiring adventure as the boy embarks on a journey he never imagined, returning with a new perspective they can both embrace.
“Sanjay’s Heroes” is based on the director’s personal experience Patel as the son of Indian immigrants and the struggle he had with his cultural heritage. The inspiring animation was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2016 Oscars.
5. Lava — Shown in theaters with Inside Out (2014)
Inspired by the isolated beauty of tropical islands and the explosive allure of oceanic volcanoes, the short film directed by James Ford MurphyLava is a musical love story between the two volcanoes Uku and Lele.
The director took inspiration for the short from Hawaii and its culture, where his honeymoon took place in 1989. Murphy learned to play the ukulele and eventually composed the song based on it and appeared in the short.
6. The Blue Umbrella — Shown in theaters with Monsters University (2013)
It’s just another night walk until the rain starts to fall, and the city comes to life with the sound of water drops. And in the middle, two umbrellas — one blue, one not — fall eternally in love. Directed by Saschka Unseld and produced by Marc Greenberg“The Blue Umbrella” premiered in theaters in 2013, together with “Monsters University”.
The director, who described the short as “a love story in the rain,” got the initial inspiration for the story after finding an abandoned umbrella one day in San Francisco. Furthermore, together with friends, he took photographs of inanimate objects found on the streets of cities such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Paris, which completed the inspiration.
Source: Recreio
