'Snow Bear': A Delightful 2D Animated Short that Will Melt Your Heart

"11,000 drawings. 3 years. 1 artist." This encapsulates the painstaking effort that went into creating Snow Bear, the new hand-drawn animated short from renowned Disney animator and director Aaron Blaise.

Inspired by Blaise's own experience of loneliness after the death of his wife, Snow Bear tells the story of of a lone polar bear who creates a bear friend out of snow. He strikes up an imaginary friendship with this bear, playing, frolicking, and roughhousing in the frigid arctic. However, eventually the reality of this faux friend becomes something the bear must finally confront head on.

The star of the short is the masterful hand-drawn animation, every frame done by Blaise himself. Blaise, who directed Disney's Brother Bear, is prolific for his expertise in animating animals, so seeing him showcase these skills in all their uninhibited glory is a delight. The polar bear is expressive and engaging (as are all the other critters he meets along the way) and, despite the lack of dialogue, this doesn't hinder his ability to communicate the scope of his feelings. Traditional animation is able to connect to audiences in a unique and ineffable way that CGI cannot, so watching this short makes you long for what we no longer see in mainstream animation.

The story is funny, sweet, and tender. It's fun to see the antics of the optimistic polar bear as he discovers the futility of having a fragile buddy made out of snow. The ten-minute short artfully uses its time to explore these silly moments with more serious and reflective moments of sorrow. The short perfectly wraps up, melting your heart in the process.

Speaking of heart, the heart of the short is the universal desire for companionship. The snow bear serves as a temporary, hollow replacement for this need, but never fully scratches that itch. The ephemeral nature of the snow bear eventually forces the polar bear to sit and reflect on his situation, which is raw, emotional, and stirring. 

Blaise's love and mastery of traditional animation and storytelling are on full display in Snow Bear. This delightful, hand-drawn animated short will make you laugh, cry, and ponder the deeper parts of life.

Snow Bear is available to view on Aaron Blaise's YouTube channel.

★★★★★