Pixar brings 'Elemental' movie magic to sick kids at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Some very deserving kids and their families were treated to some Disney Magic at Oakland's UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

On Friday, patients and their parents were treated to a visit from Pixar animators and a special screening of the studio's latest film "Elemental." The movie is about two characters with very big differences discovering how much they have in common.

Something the kids have in common at UCSF? They often can't go to a real movie theater because of their medical conditions.

"I have very low immunity and can't go to theaters right now," says 11-year-old Elena Sweet who expressed her excitement over getting to see "Elemental" on its release date.

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Friday was also the debut of a mobile movie theater at the hospital. Rechelle Porter of UCSF described the mobile movie theater as "incredible" and way more fun than watching a movie on a TV in your room.

"It makes you feel like you are really at the movie theater," she said.

Community events like this run deep within Disney and Bay Area-based Pixar has had a long relationship with the hospital.

"We go way back to 'Toy Story 2' in 1999," says Jonas Rivera, executive vice president of Production at the animation studio. "This is our backyard and this is where we're from, so this one has a special place in our heart."

It's a sentiment animator Cody Lyon agrees with. He and some of his fellow animators also attended Friday's special screening to show kids how to draw and color their favorite Pixar characters.

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"For Walt Disney, it's been over 100 years. Walt would visit hospitals and bring animators with him and that was part of his outreach in Southern California," Lyon said.

Even when the "Elemental" screening is over, patients at UCSF will also have access to the Disney+ catalog to prolong the magic throughout their stay.

"Thank you, Pixar," said Elena.

"Elemental" is now in theaters. Disney is the parent company of Pixar and ABC7.

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