ABOVE: Disney and Pixar’s new animated short, “Out,” is now streaming on Disney+. (Screenshot from YouTube)
A new Pixar short film on Disney+ explores the coming-out experience and helps break down barriers in the world of animation.
“Out” follows the story of Greg, a gay man in the closet to his parents, as he prepares to move to the city with his boyfriend, Manuel.
However, moving day is quickly complicated for Greg when his parents show up at his house for an unexpected visit. Panicked, Greg tells Manuel that he has to leave the house, to which Manuel urges him to tell his parents the truth.
Greg’s dog, Jim, also has problems of her own. Her dog collar is charmed by a mystical dog and cat duo that are seen emerging from a magical rainbow at the beginning of the film. When Greg grabs the collar, it causes him and Jim to switch places.
Desperate to keep his mother from discovering the framed picture of him and Manuel, Greg (as Jim) attempts to distract her with a series of shenanigans, which leads to a surprising revelation from Greg’s mother.
“Out” is a product of SparkShorts, a short film series created by Pixar to allow the studio to “discover new storytellers [and] explore new storytelling techniques,” Jim Morris, president of Pixar Animation Studios, said in an official statement.
The film also marks an important moment in Disney’s animation history, as it is the first animated Disney film to feature a gay person as the main character, according to online Disney news forum Inside the Magic.
This is not the first time Disney has pushed for LGBTQ+ visibility with their content. Earlier this year, some Middle Eastern countries banned the Pixar film “Onward” from movie theaters for containing a passing reference to a same-sex relationship.
Although “Out” was just released today, the LGBTQ+ representation provided by the film is already having an emotional impact on viewers, with screenwriter Garon Cockrell saying “this is going to mean so much to so many lgbtqia folks of all ages.”
I just watched #Out on @disneyplus. I cried my eyes out. So adorable so sweet so important. I adored it. thank you @bubbleofthunder and @Pixar this is going to mean so much to so many lgbtqia folks of all ages.
— Garon Cockrell (@MyNameIsGaron) May 22, 2020
Moved by a scene in which Greg and Manuel share a kiss, Twitter user Fabián Land exclaimed “Pixar DID THAT!”.
Pixar DID THAT!
😭😭😭 #Out #SparkShorts pic.twitter.com/kdug8yT323— Fabián Land / Chicano Virgen (@f_land711) May 22, 2020
“Out” was directed by Steven Clay Hunter and stars Kyle McDaniel as Greg and Bernadette Sullivan as his mother. Other SparkShorts titles include “Purl,” “Kitbull” and “Float,” all of which are available exclusively on Disney+.
Watch the “Out” teaser trailer below.
