In Pixar’s short “Loop,” the non-verbal autistic girl is named Renee.
Renee is paired with Marcus during a canoeing activity at summer camp. Although she does not speak, she communicates through gestures, sounds, facial expressions and a sound-making app on her phone. The story follows the two children as they gradually learn to understand one another’s ways of communicating.
“Loop” was written and directed by Erica Milsom and released in 2020 as the sixth film in Pixar’s SparkShorts program. Madison Bandy, who is herself non-speaking and autistic, performs Renee. Pixar also consulted members of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network during production to support a more authentic portrayal.
The short’s title refers both to the canoeing experience and to the pair’s repeated sound-based play. A common mistake is to remember Marcus’s name instead of Renee’s, since both characters are central. Renee is the girl, while Marcus is the chatty boy who initially struggles to connect with her.