Reflect is the latest original animation film, part of season 2 of Short Circuit Experimental Films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, which premiered on Disney+ on September 14. The short film follows a ballet dancer battling her own reflection, overcoming doubt and fear by channelling her inner strength, grace and power.
The film is directed by Hillary Bradfield, a Disney Animation story artist (Frozen 2, Encanto) since 2017, and features an original score by Jake Monaco (Cars on the Road, Jerry and Marge Go Large).
The film was actually released earlier and recently started to get traction online and has since become a huge topic of conversation on social media sites like TikTok and Twitter, with many Disney fans thrilled to see such representation on screen.
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The small clip from the film Reflect shows Bianca practising ballet in the mirror as the mirror image of herself breaks apart—a symbol of the broken way in which she perceives her body. In the film, a young plus-sized girl is performing her ballet moves when the other students and teacher enter.
This causes the girl to become rather self-conscious as she tries to follow the teacher’s instructions. She suddenly enters a fantasy where the mirror on the wall begins to glow and detaches itself into a giant claw that envelopes her. Surrounded by a shattered mirror, the girl becomes hopelessly lost until she remembers her ballet moves and the mirror begins to retract.
The more she dances, the more the mirror begins to fade away. Eventually, the girl finds herself back in reality and continues to happily dance with her classmates. This representation of body dysmorphia and self-esteem has resonated with many viewers who have been praising the film and telling their own experiences related to the topic.
Twitter Reactions to Reflect
With the sudden attention on the short film, many viewers are also asking for a full feature-length film on the Ballet girl and on the topic, for further discourse and awareness.
Short Circuit offers anyone at Disney Animation the chance to pitch an idea and get selected to create their own short film. The first season launched in 2020 with 14 short films, and Reflect is the sixth title in the second season to appear on Disney+.
Reflect is currently streaming on Disney+ now.
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