Gay animated short film 'In a Heartbeat' released online

A Kickstarter-funded animated short film featuring a lighthearted romance was finally released on Monday (US time) nearly a year after it was announced.

Running in just over four minutes,"In a Heartbeat" by Ringling College of Art and Design animation students Beth David and Esteban Bravo has already received 1,392,319 views on Youtube just one day after its release.

"In a Heartbeat" features a closeted, red-headed boy whose heart literally pops out of his chest to "chase down" the boy of his dreams.

The animated short became viral well before it was released, after David and Bravo previewed stills and concept from their film around November 2016 when they revealed their Kickstarter page.

Exceeding their expectations, the project picked up steam and received $14,191 from 416 backers worldwide, allowing David and Bravo to complete their senior thesis project with a complete soundtrack.

Feedback on the film has so far been positive and has already garnered attention from websites such as HuffPost Queer, Entertainment Weekly, and even the Human Rights Campaign. — LA, GMA News