'Let's Be Tigers,' 'The Last of the Chupacabras' streaming on Launchpad on Disney+

Thursday, June 17, 2021
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Streaming right now on Disney+ are six brand new live-action short films, told by storytellers from all walks of life.

It's a brand new initiative called Launchpad, with the goal of bringing a new, authentic and personal level of visibility and empathy to Disney's legendary collection.

In "Let's be Tigers," a babysitter is grieving the loss of her mother and four-year-old boy helps her find strength and solace.

"The film is really about how brave an act it is to share yourself, your pain, your sadness, your grief," said filmmaker Stefanie Abel Horowitz. "In doing so, you create community."

It's a story Horowitz says she needed in her own life and one perhaps we all need at this moment in time.

'Launchpad' on Disney+ gives 6 filmmakers a chance to tell stories of diversity, discovery


"We definitely need a lot of reminders that we're not alone," she said.

As for the title, "Let's Be Tigers," she says there's power when we travel in packs.

"Let's be tigers," Horowitz says. "Let's be brave. Also, let's play. Let's live."

In "The Last of the Chupacabras," the last remaining Mexican-American woman is lonely.

"She unknowingly conjures a dark and ancient creature to keep her company, which leads her on a whole other adventure," said filmmaker Jessica Mendez Siqueiros.

For her, this was celebration of culture, but also a call to future generations.

"How do we practice keeping our traditions alive?" she asked.

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Siqueiros is a lifelong Disney fan and she's proud to change that.

"I never saw my family in those stories," she says. "It's really beautiful to kind of build on the legacy of Disney, but also challenge the legacy of Disney at the same time."

Stream the collection of six Launchpad films right now on Disney+.

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