The heart is such a mischievous organ — always leading us on wild adventures with no hint of how they will end or who we'll end up with. It's the stuff the greatest stories are made of.
And the most tearjerking animated shorts. If you have an ugly-cry face, maybe watch this one in the comfort of your own home, 'cause "In a Heartbeat" does not hold back.
The four-minute film tells the story of Sherwin, a closeted middle-school aged boy who has a crush on a classmate, Jonathan. We first see Sherwin diving into the bushes to avoid being discovered by Jonathan as he walks down the path to school.
But Sherwin's heart has other ideas, and the boy is forced to literally follow his enthusiastic heart as it leaps out of his chest and flies down to be close to Jonathan. Will Jonathan pay attention to Sherwin's heart? Could he feel the same way? What will the other students think?
Filmmakers Beth David and Esteban Bravo treat this story of young gay love tenderly and playfully. The short is the duo's final thesis project, produced at the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla. The students started a kickstarter campaign to help them produce the film, and did some delightful promotional spoof posters along the way:
Watch the full film to experience the beautiful cry-fest for yourself. It'll bring you right back to your first crush. Ah, young love.
