Disney’s glimpse of inclusivity in Reflect

Disney has recently released a second season of Short Circuit, featuring short films produced by artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Reflect is the final episode of the second season, and was pitched and directed by Hillary Bradfield. One of her previous projects was Encanto, another film featuring a female character with a body type which diverts from the mould of Disney’s animated past, with the tall and muscular Luisa Madrigal.

Bradfield shared her inspiration for the project, drawn from personal experience, ‘I feel like I’m a very body positive person in principle, but when it’s on a personal level, it’s a lot harder to be body positive.’

This ability to celebrate the confidence of others about their own bodies while remaining critical of one’s own is a well-known ordeal, and Bradfield added that she hopes audiences can ‘feel more positively about themselves and how they look, and feel okay about the tough parts of the journey.’

While the film has been celebrated online, it has also been met with negativity, which serves as evidence of the societal pressures which exacerbates the self criticism seen in Reflect.

It explores the tumultuous journey undertaken by the central character, Bianca, from her refusal to

look at her own reflection, from being the only plus size person in her ballet class, it transitions into a colourful euphoria and joyful dance sequence.

Bradfield noted that ‘sometimes you go to the dark place to get to the good place and that just makes the good place that much more beautiful.’ Bianca defeats the ‘dark place’, represented by the monstrous mirror shards and darkness which engulfs her, by dispelling them in a cloud of pink glitter.

She returns to reality, with a new perspective of self acceptance, and a sense of hope which can easily be forgotten while struggling through the darkness of having a negative body image.

Bradfield’s portrayal of a plus size person as the central character of a story of self acceptance is a positive step towards inclusivity for Disney. While plus size characters have typically been included in supporting roles, notably as villains, Reflect provides a glimpse into a diverse future where protagonists no longer conform to one aesthetic.

The opposite side of the discourse surrounding the short film online is for Disney to include plus size characters in feature length films, and for the adversity that they face to not revolve around their weight.

Bradfield has enabled Disney to move towards its aim of ‘inspiring a more inclusive world’ within its content, further efforts are needed before it can truly be considered to represent the diversity of its audience.

Short Circuit is streaming now on Disney +

Edited by Lucy Wilcox