Reflect: Disney's Short Film

Reflect is a short animation about body positivity. In the interview before the clip, the writer and director, explains to us what it is all about. Here, she tells us that her own personal philosophy is what informed the clip and that while she is generally a very body positive person, she finds she often struggles on a more personal level to practise this.

The director states in the interview "When people watch the short, I hope that they can feel more positively about themselves and how they look and feel okay about the tough parts of the journey. And you know, sometimes you go to the dark place to get to the good place and that just makes the good place that much more beautiful."

The short starts with a plus size female ballerina on her own, practising. She appears happy and content due to the smile on her face. The rest of the class begin to file in and line up at the bar in front of the mirror. This seems to be a challenge to Bianca who frowns at the prospects of being near a reflective surface. The teacher walks by, stopping at Biance and comments "tight tummy, long neck." This is just a reference to posture, however to someone in a delicate headspace, it can be the start of a downward spiral, which for Biance, it is.

Bianca looks into the mirror and her surroundings fade. It is almost as if she goes inside the mirror. For someone struggling with their body image, the mirror itself becomes a fear, by essentially having her go inside it, the show is foreshadowing her fight with her fears.

The Mirror begins to crack with big neo pink splinters that turn turquoise. This is a subtle metaphor towards a 'cracked appearance.' The idea that the mirror image is distorted, rather than a truthful reflection. This is followed up by Bianca suddenly being in a room full of her reflection and they all begin to splinter. The broken shards turn towards her in a threatening manner, again this is a reference to her fighting her reflection, or at least the ideas she has about her appearance.

Towards the end of the short, Bianca finds that strength inside her to no longer be afraid of her reflection. The broken mirror shards light up, creating something beautiful before fading away. The music that had been sinister up until this point, alters to something more uplifting, signifying our heroine has won their battle. Bianca is now dancing again as she breaks out of her mirror world, which we understand is just inside her head, and the studio reappears for her to dance in. This time she is smiling as she easily and readily confronts her image in the mirror, something she wasn't able to do at the start of the short.

This short's theme centres on Body Dysmorphia. Body Dysmorphia is the obsession with flaws on our body that others do not necessarily see or focus on. Just like eating disorders, Body Dysmorphic Disorder is more common amongst women.

This short suggests that while progress towards a body inclusive society is slow, some progress is being made. While I would rather see a plus size Disney princess. At least this is a step in the right direction. It is work like this I would like to see more of. I want to create a book as uplifting as Bianca fight to be happy with her own reflection.

Reference:

• McBride, C., Costello, N., Ambwani, S., Wilhite, B., & Austin, S. B. (2019). Digital Manipulation of Images of Models' Appearance in Advertising: Strategies for Action Through Law and Corporate Social Responsibility Incentives to Protect Public Health. American Journal of Law & Medicine, 45(1), 7-31. https://doi.org/https://doi-org.libaccess.hud.ac.uk/10.1177/0098858819849990