Editor

 After failing to get her dream job, Alexis questions her inner critic and unravels the origins of her comfort food.

USA 2023 - 6 minutes animation -

«Little t», an award-winning animated short by Pixar's Masha Ellsworth, earned a spot at the AmDocs Film Festival 2024 in Palm Springs. The film explores how a young girl—and her grown woman counterpart—struggle with her inner critic.

Since its 2023 release, «Little t» has earned numerous accolades, including Best Animation at the Utah International Film Festival—one of its four awards, alongside an honorable mention. It's also been invited to the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and Film Fund in Palm Springs, contributing to its acceptance into 27 festivals in total.

«Little t» follows Alexis on the biggest day of her life: an interview for her dream job as an interior designer. Though she’s armed with an impressive resume and design portfolio, she’s also accompanied by two longtime companions: her “inner critic” and “inner child.” As Alexis examines her connections to comfort food, she uncovers new insights about herself and her abilities and finds the courage to showcase her potential in the interview, quelling the doubts raised by her longtime companions. 

The film draws its inspiration from Ellsworth’s own experiences. 

“Years ago, when I was stuck in a career rut, I grappled with self-doubt and a fear of failure,” Ellsworth said. “Then I got a fortune cookie that said, ‘Silence the critic within,’ and that prompted me to explore and overcome my inner critic.”

«Little t» reassures viewers that dealing with such negative self-talk is normal and highlights the main character’s journey to silence hers. 

Lisa Damour, a renowned American clinical psychologist and author, praised «Little t» for its complex and visually stunning narrative that directly addresses perfectionism and self-criticism. She highlighted how effectively the film depicts the transformation of imagination from an adversary to an ally, making it relatable to anyone who has ever felt not good enough. Damour suggests that the film's universal message will resonate broadly.

Asia's top film critic Thomas S. Hong wrote that he couldn’t help “falling in love with this six-minute short film.” «Little t» makes us realize “that we have to face up to the «Little t»raumas of everyday life and love ourselves more.” 

Utah International Film Festival featured an insightful article about «Little t», diving into the creative process and inspiration behind Masha Ellsworth's animated short. Animation magazine singled out the film for being “notable” among the 81 animated shorts selected for the 25th Bucheon International Animation Festival. LA Indies has also highlighted «Little t» in its coverage of the independent film industry. 

ABOUT MASHA ELLSWORTH

Masha Ellsworth is a lead technical director in the characters department at Pixar Animation Studios by day and an indie filmmaker by night. «Little t» marks her directorial debut. 

The Ukrainian-American filmmaker started her career in 2007 when she became an intern on Pixar’s Oscar Award-winning Ratatouille, working on sets and lighting. She then transitioned into characters for Pixar feature films such as UP, Toy Story 3, Brave, Cars 2, Inside Out, Finding Dory, Cars 3, Good Dinosaur, Coco, Incredibles 2, Onward and Turning Red. Born and raised in northern Ukraine, Ellsworth graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah with a double degree in Computer Science and Visual Art.

«Little t» is a product of Pixar’s co-op project, in which employees are provided with start-up funding to create their own short animated films. Most of the work, however, was done pro bono by professionals from the animation industry, drawing from companies like Pixar, Netflix Animation, Dreamworks Animation, Sony Animation and DNEG, along with artists from around the globe. Contributors came from a variety of backgrounds, drawn together by «Little t»’s compelling story. 

CONTACT: Masha Ellsworth 

masha@pixar.com

cell: +1 510-755-8269