Family Love Takes Center Stage in Pixar’s New Short Bao

When I was invited on the Incredibles2 press event, I was excited and honored to be part of this. What I did not expect was to get a sneak peek at the new Pixar short film Bao. I rarely cry during a film but this one brought tears to my eyes because it mirrored my own relationship with my parents. After the screening, we had the opportunity to speak and interact with Director Domee Shi, Producer Becky Neiman and Production Designer Rona Liu.

This seven and half minute short took Domee Shi, a storyboard artist who, with Bao, becomes Pixar’s first female short director in the studio’s history four years to complete. Domee was inspired to write and tell a story flavored by her upbringing as the only child of Chinese immigrants.

The Story of Bao

In Disney•Pixar’s “Bao,” an aging Chinese-Canadian mom suffering from depression of an empty nest, who gets a second shot at motherhood when one of her handmade dumplings comes alive. It looks at the lengths that a mom would go to protect her child.  It is coincidental that the coming of dough short ended up being shown in front of Incredibles 2, which also explores maternal themes centering its focus on Holly Hunt’s character Helen. Bao feels so personal and familial.

After the screening, I sat and thought a lot about my own mom and how she held on to my younger sister and me tightly and how much I miss her and wish that she could see this piece. There are so many things that you will love about this short. I feel that this is an appealing story that many people will identify with.

Inspiration Behind Bao

Domee Shi drew from her personal life and growing up with her parents in Canada. She used Chinese Folk Art to inspire the look of the short. The goal was cute drawings and making these characters incredibly lovable. When you look at the film you will see all the characters and design in the background. I can’t wait to see it again to recognize some of the aspects that I might have missed when I first saw it.

Meaning of Bao

As we have learned, words have different meanings in other cultures. Bao, as Domee shared with us means “treasure” and you can understand why. A little dumpling looks like a treasure because of what it holds inside. When you look at how the mom holds this precious dumpling you see the love in her eyes. It made me reflect on the little treasures in my life and want me to appreciate them so much more.

Characters-Grandmothers

Domee shared that she used a lot of inspiration from her own mother’s kitchen and her life as a child in Canada. In the short we see the woman interact and spend time with other Chinese women. This was Domee way of staying true to her heritage even down to the clothing.

Food

Food plays a key role in this film. Domee got her mom, Ningsha Zhong who she labels the “dumpling master” to serve as the cultural consultant on the film. She even came in gave the crew a hands-on dumpling making class. In which the animators were able to study intimately. They were able to record how her hands folded the dough, how she cut every single piece, and how she rolled each wrapper into that perfect little bun.