In 2019, I drove to LA for the weekend to watch a movie.

It wasn’t just any movie. It was a short film written and directed by my friend and client, Bobby.

Bobby Rubio is a storyboard artist at Pixar Animation Studios and he created “Float,” the story of a father who learns that his young son has a unique ability of floating in the air. Initially, the father tries to hide his son’s unique gift because he is fearful of what others might think. As the short progresses, there is a defining moment that happens in which the father loses his temper, but quickly recognizes the pain this causes for his child. The father ultimately comes to accept his son for who he is, and it is right about this moment in the story where I am a puddle of tears.

The story of Float was inspired by one of Bobby’s sons who was diagnosed with autism when he was younger. He dedicated the film to Alex, and this photo of Bobby and Alex was taken during one of our many family photo sessions together and is used in the film as the dedication still. I’m proud to have played a very small part in this powerful story of inclusion, love and acceptance.

As a Filipino-American, Bobby chose to create main characters who look like his family, and I’m so happy that Pixar decided to share Float on YouTube for free for a limited time to show solidarity with the Asian community and to highlight a story featuring Asian characters. It currently has over 56 million views!

Have you seen Float? You can watch on Disney+ or click here to view on YouTube.

Be sure to leave a comment and tell me what you think!