(Kori Rae, Dan Scanlon, © Lindsay Bellinger)

by LINDSAY R. BELLINGER

Director Dan Scanlon and Producer Kori Rae were in high spirits after the press screening of the newest Pixar film Onward, starring the ever-so-talented vocal skills of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Octavia Spencer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ali Wong, Tracey Ullman, Lena Waithe and John Ratzenberger (Cliff from Cheers & Hamm from the Toy Story films). The journalists were fed off of Scanlon and Rae's positive vibes and probably from the fact that Onward is one of the more upbeat, albeit with its sad and reflective moments, films to premiere at the 70th edition of the Berlinale. It was a shame that none of the actors could be present for the conference but it was still quite a lively interaction between the press and the filmmakers. Scanlon revealed that he drew upon his father's death and an audio recording of his voice, which inspired him to write the initial story. 

 (Kori Rae, Dan Scanlon, © Lindsay Bellinger)