Howard

Howard, directed by Don Hahn, the producer behind Disney classics like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, is a documentary produced through his own company, Stone Circle Pictures, about Howard Ashman, the lyricist behind The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin; it was later added to Disney+. The film traces Ashman's creative process and his death from AIDS related complications in 1991 at age 40, through archival footage and interviews with those close to him; his longtime musical partner Alan Menken composed the film's score. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22, 2018, and won the Special Achievement in Animation award at the 2021 Annie Awards. The film holds a 94 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and 76 on Metacritic. Who it's for: anyone curious about the lyricist behind some of Disney's most beloved musicals, and the story of how he kept his AIDS diagnosis secret at the peak of his career. Who it's not for: viewers interested only in the production process of Disney films, since this focuses mainly on Ashman's personal life and illness.