‘Float’ Is Breaking New Ground on Disney+

The SparkShorts program, designed to develop short films by underrepresented filmmakers, is already paying off.

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While Disney was busy keeping pundits occupied with its new streaming service, they were also making the business and emotional case for inclusion.

“Float” was one of the new short films released on Disney+, developed as part of the SparkShorts program, which aims to give a meaningful first platform to underrepresented filmmakers.

“Float” tells the touching story of a father who struggles to understand and protect his new son after he learns that he’s different than other kids—he can float in the air, a magical-seeming power that alienates others. It was inspired by creator Bobby Rubio’s own experience as the new father of an autistic son, and his own fear that his son would be judged by others is palpable. 

Courtesy of DisneyPlus

“Accepting my son for his autism diagnosis, I have to admit it took me years,” Rubio tells CBR’s Reuben Baron, a journalist with autism. “I know the short lasted only six minutes, but it took me a while before I could accept my son for who he is. I remember in the beginning, much like in the short, I was trying to hide that he has autism. He sometimes would spin and I’d be like ‘Hey Alex, can you stop that? Can you stop spinning?’ And now I accept that that’s Alex. He spins because that’s what calms him down, but it took me a while before I was able to accept that.”

Rubio, who has worked at Pixar as a story artist since 2012, has also broken other new ground by creating the first animated film that centers Filipino-American characters. Ironically, his original pitch and storyboards depicted the father and son as white. “A co-worker saw the cover and said, ‘Bobby, this is your story. The character should be Filipino American.’ I thought, does anyone want to see a Filipino American character? I had this unconscious bias,” Rubio tells Variety.

While “Float” is exclusively on Disney+, you can get a glimpse of it in this short video from KTVU, which includes a brief interview with Rubio.

The SparkShorts program is already delivering on its promise of diversity.

“We can give more people a chance to tell their stories,” says producer Krissy Cababa. “Not only can we give more people here a voice, but we can also get gritty with our stories.” Rubio says he got the encouragement he needed. “I didn’t have to sugarcoat the story. I was allowed to tell the story I wanted to tell,” says Rubio.

Ellen McGirt

@ellmcgirt

Ellen.McGirt@fortune.com