After winning a swag of awards around the world a short animated film has racked up over four million views since it was posted on YouTube.

In a Heartbeat was created by Beth David and Esteban Bravo at the Ringling College of Art and Design. The film is about a closeted boy who “runs the risk of being outed by his own heart after it pops out of his chest to chase down the boy of his dreams.”

It’s been praised for its positive depiction of a same-sex relationship, and it certainly tugs at the heartstrings.

The animators raised funds to create the film through a Kickstarter campaign. Head to the film’s Facebook page and you can see some of the design drawings for the film, and meet the two boys Sherwin and Jonathan.

OIP Staff