A Chinese mother's love takes a 'Bao' at Tribeca

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Pixar Animation Studios’ first female-directed short film, "Bao," will make its debut at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday and screen in movie theaters around the world this summer just before the “Incredibles 2.”

“I have never been to Tribeca but I love New York. It is the perfect place to premiere Bao,” director Domee Shi told CGTN Digital. “New York is a city of immigrants.”

The China native from Chongqing city was raised in Canada before moving to California to start her career.

“I’ve always loved classic fairytales like the little ‘Gingerbread Man’ and I wanted to do the Chinese version of that,” she said.

Concept art from ‘Bao,’ directed by Domee Shi. / Pixar

'Bao' wow!

The groundbreaking film is the legendary studios' twentieth short and explores the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship.

“Exploring when your relationship with your parents' shifts," she said. "I still love you but I can’t be with you all the time."

This dynamic tale is set in the colorful, rich, and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada reminiscent of Shi's own childhood.

“I would go grocery shopping with my parents every weekend,” Shi said. “I wanted to pay homage to it on screen.”

The studio describes the film as “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. But Dumpling starts growing up fast, and Mom must come to the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever.”

Tackling this reality for many parents, Shi said “Bao” was inspired by her own life.

Domee Shi, the director of 'Bao' is the first female to direct‍ a short film for Pixar Animated Studios. / Pixar

Humpty dumpling

“Dumplings are the quintessential Chinese food. They are a symbol of your mother ’s love,” She told CGTN Digital. “My mom treats me like a precious little dumpling.”

Shi said when she showed her mother the storyboard version of ‘Bao” she had one piece of advice.

“If the main character is supposed to be me, make sure she is beautiful,” she said referring to her mother’s words of wisdom.

Shi began as a story intern at Pixar in June 2011, and was soon hired as a story artist on the Academy Award©-winning feature film “Inside Out.” Since then Shi has worked on the feature films “The Good Dinosaur” and the upcoming “Incredibles 2” and “Toy Story 4.”

‘Bao,’ a Pixar short film, will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and play in front of ‘Incredibles 2.’ / Pixar

Buns on the run

In 2015, she began pitching some ideas for short films and soon was greenlit to write and direct “Bao,” which is produced by fellow Pixar staffer Becky Neiman-Cobb.

“My initial idea for ‘Bao’ was something I wanted to do on my own outside of Pixar,” Shi said. “I was pitching it to colleagues around the office who encouraged me to try to pitch ‘Bao’ to Pixar.”

She told CGTN Digital the fact that “Bao” is actually making it to the big screen still has not sunk in.

Her biggest creative influences are the works of Studio Ghibli, '90s anime, Disney, Pixar, as well as the works of Yasujiro Ozu, Ang Lee, and Bong Joon Ho.

Shi would not reveal too much about what she is currently working on other than it is “an untitled Pixar project in early development.”

While the 28-year-old was tight-lipped about her future endeavors she did reveal her attitude towards life.

“Every day, I just focus on the work and trying to create a good story. I try not to look too far ahead into the future cause that would freak me out,” she said. “I am really happy and excited to see what the future will hold.”