Disney Plus 'Launchpad' series spotlights 6 diverse short stories by new directors

ByHosea Sanders and Marsha Jordan WLS logo
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Disney's 'Launchpad' series puts diverse stories on screen
Disney's Launchpad is a new platform that's giving diverse artists a place to tell their stories.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Launchpad is a new platform that's giving diverse artists a place to tell their stories.

The new program has created six inventive short films you can now stream on Disney Plus.

"It's a rigorous process of reviewing scripts, reviewing short films, meeting with filmmakers, interviewing them and identifying the things that we think will resonate have heart, are really personal and that you just feel the burden that they need to be told," said Phillip Domfeh, Senior Manager, Launchpad

Diversity is what makes the program so successful.

"I will say one really exciting thing about the program is that each director collaborated with creative executive mentors across the company and so they took our filmmakers talent and really amplified it, uplifted it and so treating these shorts with the same love and attention the way they do for example on the Mandalorian," said Mahin Ibrahim, Disney's Director of Diversity & Inclusion Mahin Ibrahim

"I couldn't be more proud, really it's an honor to get to work with them it's, it's an honor to get to uplift artists with really beautiful life affirming stories and I think in a time like this, that's the space you want to be in," said Domfeh.

All the Launchpad films are now streaming on Disney Plus - Disney, the parent company of ABC.

Applications for next season are being taken through June 11th with diversity and inclusion as the goals of the program.