Snow Bear, the Christmas short film, reached 1.4 million YouTube views

Last month, Aaron Blaise released a brand-new animated film called “Snow Bear,” and it’s available to watch freely on YouTube. The short film has achieved huge success, having already been viewed 1.4 million times. A well-deserved recognition for a stunning animation that everyone should watch for Christmas.

The story follows a lonely bear who must find a friend in a harsh environment. The hand-drawn illustrations, featuring impeccable detail and heartfelt themes, will make viewers cry. The story has won 40 international awards, proving that the 11,000 illustrations it took Blaise to create it were worth every second.

Starting a solo project was a completely different experience from working on such huge Disney films as “The Lion King”, “Beauty and the Beast”, or “Pocahontas”. It took Blaise three years to create the 11-minute film, with backgrounds drawn in Photoshop and the whole thing animated in TVPaint.

This personal investment makes Blaise so happy during the reception that he shares his joy on Instagram. “Honestly, I have no words… but I’ll try,” he says.

“When I started Snow Bear, it was just me, a pencil, and a story I needed to tell. To everyone who watched, shared, or connected with it in any way… Thank You! Seeing this story find a place in so many hearts has reminded me why I fell in love with animation in the first place. It’s about the connection, the emotion, the humanity. Watching drawings come to life has never stopped being like MAGIC… I am so glad that so many have said the same. I’m incredibly grateful.”

In a world where films are getting faster, bolder, and without any magic, this 2D short animation showed that it is possible to evoke feelings and enchant the world by discovering things that reveal themselves through hard work and simplicity. I wish everyone would watch and appreciate it. May Christmas be real, natural, and full of positive emotions.

Take a look at the film’s behind-the-scenes below.