Disney's Launchpad series of short films tell distinctly American stories, tales of young immigrants and queer people looking to figure out who they are and who they want to be in a country that doesn't fully understand them, but was founded on the notion that it will nevertheless accept them.
Chinese director Moxie Peng's entry into the series, The Little Prince(ss) follows a young Chinese-American boy who likes ballet and doesn't conform to traditional gender norms, and his best friend, another Chinese-American boy who likes sports. Despite their differing tastes, they are friends, but the second boy's father is suspicious of the ballet-loving child, whom he sees as not "normal." The Little Prince(ss) is a deeply human story that may be a difficult watch for some, but its beating heart and genuine sincerity ensure that it's a righteous and uplifting experience for all viewers who choose love over fear.
While promoting the release of The Little Prince(ss) and the other Disney Launchpad shorts, director Moxie Peng spoke to Screen Rant about his work on the film, and how it's a deeply autobiographical story for him. He talks about wanting to inspire young people who may be questioning or exploring their gender identity, and how the film's most uplifting moment serves as a direct tribute to Peng's own father.
The Little Prince(ss) is out now on Disney+.
Hi, Moxie!
Hi, Zak.
If I can call you Moxie, instead of Moxie Peng, or Mr. Peng...
(Laughs) No, call me Moxie, it's great, thank you!
Your short film in this incredible collection of different stories... They're American stories, they're immigrant stories, and that's the same thing. I think stuff like this really makes it clear that it is the same thing. What was the inception for you of deciding this was the story you wanted to tell
I think, when I looked at the Launchpad application course, like, two years ago, and I saw that the theme of the year was "Discover," I realized that I wanted to tell a story of when I was discovering something. For young filmmakers, we tend to dig into our own experience. That's what we can tell the best, without other materials. I definitely benefit from that. I went back and I took this story from when I was a kid. I was quite feminine and liked books and princesses, and I was best friends with another kid. His dad, one day, got offended and wanted to come to our house and tell our father that I was not normal and I needed to be fixed. I felt heartbroken. I started to cry. And then my dad stood up for me and told the guy that he loved me for who I am. If I liked books and art and princesses, it's okay! I think that moment really resonated with me. I think I wanted to tell this story for the kids out there who may be queer or trans or still just exploring their identity, to just let them know it's okay if they don't fit in a box. If they want to be in between something, it's okay to have the freedom to explore. And I think, naturally, when I tried to tell the story in the US, I was thinking, it has to be a Chinese-American family. I also know them. That helped me get through the story. And then I started to think of Rob being Chinese-American, and his identity is also... His immigrant experience is this feeling of being "othered." And I think that's what really tied them together. Like, we see each other, we like each other, and even though we're both facing difficulties, we can show support for each other. I think that's the beauty of the two identities starting to dance with each other.
There's this... I don't know if it's universal, but it's at least shared with traditional American, and I guess traditional Chinese, ideas of what masculinity is. And so I was thinking about asking if immigrant stories are about deciding what to take with you and what to leave behind, but I think it's more universal than that. I can't imagine how proud you must be of your father for sticking up for you, despite not fitting in whatever societal cubby-hole you're supposed to. If it's not too personal for me to ask, is he around? Has he seen it?
Yes, he is around. He's in China right now. And he hasn't seen it. I'm planning to show it to him. We haven't talked about this event for years, and I think it will be... Yeah, I'm really grateful that my dad stood up for me and saved me with grace, and I think it will be a real bonding moment for us both, as adults, to look back to that moment and feel, "Oh, we were there for each other."
The Little Prince(ss) is out now on Disney+.
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Reviewed by Riyad
on
June 16, 2021
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