Soul

Joe Gardner teaches middle school and dreams of making it as a jazz pianist. When a long-awaited audition at the Half Note Club looks like the first step toward that dream, an accident separates his soul from his body and sends him to the You Seminar, where pre-life souls learn personalities and passions before being assigned to newborns. Determined to return to his life on Earth and his chance at music, Joe partners with 22, a jaded soul who's spent ages resisting earthly existence. As a dedicated teacher he worries his dream may be slipping away, and he clings to music as part of who he is, while the odd pairing with 22 forces him to rethink what matters.

Released in 2020, the animated film was created by Kristen Lester, Aphton Corbin and Rosana Sullivan. It blends comedy, drama, fantasy and music, and features voices from Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House and Alice Braga.

Audiences and critics gave it strong ratings, reflected in an 8.1/10 vote average from over 11,000 users. Reviewers highlighted the voice work, inventive animation and the score, while the story raises questions about purpose, identity and mortality, mixing humor with quiet moments and a focus on creativity and connection.

The movie helped renew interest in jazz among younger viewers and prompted conversations about representation of Black artists in animation. Characters like 22 became fan favorites, and the film's visual approach to souls and the so-called 'Great Before' inspired fan art, social media discussion and classroom conversations about meaning.

At the Academy Awards the film won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score, and it received multiple other nominations across industry prizes. The wins acknowledged the blending of sophisticated animation, thoughtful storytelling and an eclectic musical palette that played a central role in its appeal.