"In a Heartbeat" and the Power of Animation

I think everyone should watch this short film.

LGBTQIA+ representation in animation has come a long way in recent years. I'm still waiting for an African animated film centering queer love, but I guess I'll have to be patient. In the meantime, I'd like to discuss why In a Heartbeat, an animated short film by Beth David and Esteban Bravo, has a special place in my heart.

A Marriage of Innocence and Queer Joy

I'm sure I don't need to remind you how queer people are generally perceived here in Africa. Things are pretty bad. But, the good news is that there is hope. And honestly, that's what stories like In a Heartbeat are for. The amount of queer joy in this short film is enough to make anyone tear up.

It's so simple, really. There's not a smidge of dialogue, and yet I find myself hooked to the action of the story. I don't know why, but every time I watch this film I can feel my heartbeat thumping loudly in my own chest. I feel for these characters and I can understand their emotions because of how cleverly they are communicated. It's just so beautiful to see two characters share a heart-felt moment of intimacy.

But I think what's even more special about In a Heartbeat is how innocent those moments of intimacy are. There's this assumption that anything queer is automatically R-rated, which is really just untrue. Being queer is not just about sex, anymore than being straight is. The anthropomorphic elements and cute visuals really help to make this clear. This isn't a story about 'the gays' being gay. It's not even a story about the LGBTQIA+ movement. It's just a simple story about crushes and love.

Animation as a Tool

Animation is typically more 'family-friendly' than other mediums. I think for this reason it's a powerful tool that can be used by queer filmmakers to tell their stories without having to deal with the 'political-ness' of it all. Obviously there are still so many restraints when it comes to queer representation in animated media, but I think the decision to tell this story through animation is one that has changed a lot of lives. Just take a look at the comment section of the video. It's full of people from all walks of life expressing how the film touched them in some way.

I find it amazing how something as 'simple' as a cartoon can impact us so profoundly. If this film had been made into a live-action motion picture, I doubt it would've had the same impact.

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