As studios like Pixar and Ghibli have perfected it into an art, animation can often pull at our heartstrings. But in a new animated short film, the heart is the one doing the pulling, in a beautiful and progressive depiction of a young boy’s crush on a classmate.
In a Heartbeat was Beth David and Esteban Bravo’s thesis film at Ringling College of Art and Design and was funded on Kickstarter last year. At just four minutes, it captures the essence of a young love as one closeted boy’s heart escapes his body to pursue a crush, which the boy goes to great lengths to hide.
“This film means a lot to us, and it touches on emotions that we hope will resonate with people from all different backgrounds,” David and Bravo told Teen Vogue. “We are so grateful for all the support and enthusiasm we’ve received over the past few months; we started this project more than a year and a half ago and we’ve been waiting for this moment as much as everyone else has.”
Although there’s strife and conflict contained within, In a Heartbeat has a happy ending as the two boys come together to heal a literal broken heart, which makes both of their hearts glow. It doesn’t have any dialogue, but it doesn’t need any to tell a story anyone can relate to.