Pixar’s new short is not really made for kids. In Purl, Pixar delves into the male-dominated corporate world where a new employee struggles to keep up with sharp-suited men.
Purl is the new employee is an enthusiastic ball of pink yarn. She comes to the office with extreme excitement on her first day of work. She settles in with various knitted curios and tries to befriend her male co-workers. However, her jokes and suggestions are also easily dismissed, leaving her sad and alone. Instead of sulking in a corner, she decides to reinvent herself and assert her disposition.
The film clearly tackles the gender politics in the workplace. And indeed, the director Kristen Lester has culled inspiration from her own experience. “It’s based on my experience being in animation,” she recalls being the only woman at work. “It actually made me realize how much of the female aspect of myself I had sort of buried and left behind.”
Part of Pixar SparkShorts, it looks like Pixar is really exploring diversity. If you’d remember, Bobby Rubio’s animated short will feature a Fil-Am lead. Well, it’s 2019; it’s about time we embrace diversity and representation—and corny puns also, maybe?
Watch “Purl” below: