() — Disney finally has its first young plus-size heroine, and fans online are elated.
“Reflect” is a short film about a young ballet dancer named Bianca who struggles with her body image. Although the film first premiered on the platform in September as part of the studio’s Short Circuit Experimental Films series, many social media users are now celebrating “Reflect” as a victory for the representation of young women.
The short is now available on Disney+.
“My 16 year old self needed this Disney short before I quit ballet because I didn’t want to be the fat girl in class anymore,” said one user on Twitter. “I’m glad the little ones have this. 10/10 for Reflect!”
“I don’t think they understand, this is my Ariel,” one TikTok user said in a video, captioned “(Disney+) you’re really into my feelings.”
Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Finally, Bianca can dance freely. (Credit: Disney Animation/Twitter)
Body positivity is something director Hillary Bradfield strongly believes in, she said in an interview that appears at the beginning of the short. Making the film from a dancer’s perspective, she explained, felt natural.
“Looking at your posture and checking things in the mirror is part of the trade, so it seemed like a really good way to put her in that environment where she has to look at herself, but she didn’t want to,” Bradfield said.
In the short, Bianca is able to overcome her negative feelings and dance freely. But body positivity and self-acceptance may be easier said than done, Bradfield said.
“When people see the short, I hope they feel more positive about themselves and their appearance, and feel good about the difficult parts of their journey,” Bradfield said. “Sometimes you go to a dark place to get to a good one. And that makes the good place that much more beautiful.”
Disney has taken multiple steps in recent years to improve the diversity of its characters in its animated films. Earlier this year, the show “Baymax,” a spin-off of “Big Hero 6,” featured a transgender character. In 2020, Disney’s Pixar released its first animated feature film starring a black character, with “Soul.”
These recent depictions differ from those seen in many of the company’s previous films. The Disney/Pixar film “Wall-E,” released in 2008, negatively portrayed human obesity as synonymous with environmental destruction, a lazy portrayal that lacked nuance, according to some critics.
