The cutest new Pixar star isn’t from the much-awaited Finding Dory, but rather from a short that is set to air before the film. Piper, the hungry sandpiper hatchling, is fuzzy, squishy, bouncy and everything that epitomizes what we love about Pixar’s animations.
“Piper” follows a hatchling named Piper who must learn how to make it as a baby bird in a big, scary world. Director Allan Barillaro, who was inspired by birds he saw while running along a Northern California beach, spoke about the meaningful message behind this six-minute film.
“This is a story about conquering and overcoming your personal fears — in this case, the water. This is a tale of how to grow up in a world that seems so large and intimidating with the courage to get past those fears,” he told USA Today.
This is Barillaro’s first film as director, but he previously worked as supervising animator on the 2012 film Brave.
“Piper” will premier in theaters on June 17 before Finding Dory. Check out Pixar’s first look at the film below.
