This evening, thanks to a note on the Tribeca Film Festival site (as spotted by Forum user ReptilePatrol), it appears that Pixar’s next short film will be titled, Bao. The film, slated to hit theaters in front of Incredibles 2 will have its world premiere at Tribeca on April 21, 2018.
Updated March 30 – Additional details and first-look images (production still and concept art) have been revealed. Be sure to check out the images and interview details with Domee after reading the details here first.
The 8-minute short film (Pixar’s longest to date) is written and directed by, Domee Shi, (Pixar’s first Female-directed Short Film) and focuses on “the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship through the colorful, rich, and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada” (according to Eater). The official synopsis from the Tribeca listing is below.
An empty-nesting Chinese mom gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life. But she must come to terms with the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever.
The theme of “another chance” will probably be quite emotional — how could it not be when you’re talking about getting another chance and touching on the parent-child relationship? How many times would you like to go back and get another chance to do something again?
DOMEE SHI:
Domee Shi began as an intern at Pixar and was soon hired as a story artist on Inside Out. She has worked on The Good Dinosaur, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4. In 2015, Shi pitched several ideas for short films and soon received a green light to write and direct Bao. Shi was born in China and moved to Toronto, Canada when she was two years old along with her parents.
CAST & CREDITS:
Producer: Becky Neiman-Cobb
Screenwriter: Domee Shi
Cinematographer: Patrick Lin
Editor: Katherine Ringgold
Composer: Toby Chu
Executive Producer: Pete Docter, John Lasseter
WHERE TO WATCH AT TRIBECA (NEW YORK):
April 21 — 3:30 PM — Regal Cinemas Battery Park
April 24 — 6:00 PM — Regal Cinemas Battery Park
April 27 — 3:45 PM — Cinepolis Chelsea 2
April 28 — 4:15 PM — Cinepolis Chelsea 4
DISCUSS:
What are your thoughts on this film which is full of “firsts” — first female short film director and longest short film to date?
Leave a comment below or chat about it with other fans in the Bao Pixar Post Forum thread. If you’ll be in attendance at Tribeca, let us know — we want to hear all about it.
SOCIAL MEDIA PRAISE:
Since the announcement of Pixar’s upcoming short, Bao, fans have been flooding the internet with their support of Director Domee Shi, the beautiful short film synopsis, and the importance of representation within the animation industry. Below are a few of our favorite tweets.
