'Kitbull': Tear up at this SF-set Pixar 'SparkShort' film about an unlikely friendship

The Bay Area is no stranger to being showcased in Disney Pixar projects. The production company is, of course, based in Emeryville, so local landmarks, points of interest, and certain pizzerias have all made appearances in the setting of the animation powerhouse's stories.

But a new short, posted by Disney Pixar's YouTube channel as part of its "SparkShort" short-film series, showcases San Francisco's Mission District through the lens of two of its furriest residents, a kitten and a pit bull.

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The film, aptly called "Kitbull," is a story of an unlikely friendship between a stray cat and a chained-up dog.

It's the third in a series of six films being developed by Pixar's workers. For each project, a director is given "a little bit of money" and six months to create a short story. The goal, as Pixar President Jim Morris outlines in a video, is to generate ideas from people from different backgrounds across the company.

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The ice cream shop at the end of "Up" . . . Pixar movie scenes that you can visit in real life in the Bay Area

The ice cream shop at the end of "Up" . . . The ice cream shop at the end of "Up" . . . Photo: ©Disney•Pixar Photo: ©Disney•Pixar Image 1 of / 50 Caption Close 'Kitbull': Tear up at this SF-set Pixar 'SparkShort' film about an unlikely friendship 1 / 50 Back to Gallery

As is detailed in a behind-the-scenes video about "Kitbull," the short was inspired by director Rosie Sullivan's habit of watching cat videos as a stress-coping mechanism.

"At first, I just wanted to draw something that made me feel good and was fun, but it evolved into something more personal for me," she said. "I realized growing up, I was always very sensitive and shy had trouble making connections and making friendships."

Watch the video short above.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

