Hair Love preceded The Angry Birds Movie 2 in its North American theatrical release. The animated short played in theaters before the feature during its August 2019 rollout.
Hair Love was created by Matthew A. Cherry and Bruce W. Smith and centers on an African American father learning to style his daughter’s hair. The project began with a Kickstarter campaign, which helped fund its production before Sony Pictures Animation acquired it for theatrical distribution.
The short made its North American theatrical debut in front of The Angry Birds Movie 2, creating a pairing between an independent, family-focused short and a major studio animated sequel. This is why the answer is not Feast, Piper, or Bao: those Pixar shorts were attached to other theatrical films and release programs.
The Angry Birds sequel opened in the United States on August 14, 2019, ten years after the original game’s debut. Hair Love later became especially notable for its cultural representation and awards recognition, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.