Lou is the Pixar short film that plays before Pixar’s Cars 3.
Directed by Dave Mullins, Lou follows a mysterious creature made from objects in a school’s lost-and-found box. Lou notices a bully stealing toys from other children and tries to teach him empathy by returning the possessions. The short uses a largely visual story rather than extensive dialogue.
Lou premiered with Cars 3 in 2017. Its theme of kindness makes it a fitting companion to a feature about Lightning McQueen learning to support a younger competitor. The short was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, giving it recognition beyond its theatrical pairing.
Lou is sometimes confused with earlier Pixar shorts shown with Cars-related releases. One Man Band accompanied the original Cars in 2006, while Hawaiian Vacation preceded Cars 2 in 2011. Piper was paired with Finding Dory, not a Cars feature.