Pixar’s SparkShorts Program is designed to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows. These shorts are unique because they aren’t anything like the animation studio has released theatrically. As such, it provides an opportunity to unlock the potential of individual artists and their inventive filmmaking approaches on a smaller scale than the studio’s normal fare.

With the debut of SparkShort’s newest title, SELF, from Searit Huluf, we get to see how Pixar celebrates the stop-motion animation process while giving its director the freedoms to tell a resonating story and honor her Ethiopian heritage.

Disney and Pixar gave The Nerds of Color the opportunity to talk to Huluf about SELF, which will be debuting exclusively on Disney+ on February 2, 2024. The short follows “a wooden doll who desperately wants to fit in makes an ill-fated wish upon a star, sparking a journey of self-discovery. Her desire to blend in with her peers leads her down a harmful path, challenging her perspective of both who she is and where she belongs.” We won’t dive into too much into spoilers, but let’s just say that SELF reminds its audience to be careful what you wish for.

We are debuting an exclusive image from the upcoming short, which shows the wooden doll walking into a new city filled with new sights, new sounds, and new people for the very first time.

During our interview, Huluf talked about her journey from UCLA to Pixar and how her experiences, as well as working in animation and live-action, helped shape her career. As we discussed the short, she talked about the importance of bringing her Ethiopian heritage into SELF, and how the score and sound editing and design would influence the emotional narrative. learned about herself during the entire filmmaking process. She also shares what she learned about herself during the process of making SELF.

Huluf was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She studied at UCLA’s Theater, Film and
Television school, concentrating on screenwriting and animation. After taking internships at Dreamworks and other animation studios, Huluf graduated and eventually moved to the Bay Area, where she began in production management at Pixar Animation Studios. Some of her credits include The Incredibles 2 and Turning Red. She has also directed numerous short narrative and documentary films, such as buna, GAMERS, Exploring Blackness, and 19th Amendment Doc.

SELF is directed by Searit Huluf and produced by Eric Rosales, and is set to have its global premiere on February 2, 2024.

Here’s the official plot synopsis for SELF:

A wooden doll who desperately wants to fit in makes an ill-fated wish upon a star, sparking a journey of self discovery. Her desire to blend in with her peers leads her down a harmful path, challenging her perspective of both who she is and where she belongs. Directed by Searit Kahsay Huluf and produced by Eric Rosales, Self is the latest from Pixar’s acclaimed SparkShorts program.