Well, here’s something sweet. There’s a chance you’ve heard about Bao, the upcoming eight-minute Pixar short a dumpling who, uh, becomes sentient. The short is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival later this month, but it’ll be played in theaters nationwide just before The Incredibles 2, slated for release in wide release on June 15; it’s notably the first Pixar short directed by a woman.
Though Pixar initially teased Bao in late March, the studio was mum about details, save a synopsis:
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In “Bao,” an aging Chinese mom suffering from empty nest syndrome gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively, giggly dumpling boy. Mom excitedly welcomes this new bundle of joy into her life, but Dumpling starts growing up fast, and Mom must come to the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever. This short film from Pixar Animation Studios and director Domee Shi explores the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship through the colorful, rich, and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada.
Shit! That’s pretty heady stuff for an eight-minute short. The studio released a 31-second clip from the short on Thursday, and it looks totally lovely. The clip depicts a bao nested inside a bamboo steamer, cooing like a newborn as it sprouts limbs.
Ah, the circle of dumpling life! Can’t wait to see what the other seven minutes and 29 seconds are like.
