Launchpad is an anthology series of American independent short films produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The films are created by various filmmakers from diverse and underrepresented racial, social, and cultural backgrounds. Submissions for Launchpad began in June 2019 and the final round of filmmakers were selected by Disney in December 2019, from a pool of 1,000 applicants. Disney financed the films and allowed the filmmakers to mentor with creative executives from various Walt Disney Studios film divisions, as well as the opportunity to receive educational classes provided by the American Film Institute. The first season was centered on the theme of "discover", which the participants were instructed to create stories around. Development process began in February 2020, but production on the first season of films was delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. American Eid, Dinner Is Served, Growing Fangs, The Last of the Chupacabras, Let’s Be Tigers, and The Little Prince(ss), the six films of the first season of Launchpad, were released on Disney+ on May 28, 2021. The series has received p... ()