SALT LAKE CITY — Pixar just released a trailer for its upcoming short film that will debut with “Incredibles 2” later this summer.
The new short, “Bao,” tells the story of a Chinese-Canadian mom experiencing empty nest syndrome. The mother receives a second chance at raising a child when her dumpling — yes, a dumpling — turns to life.
The short film will offer a glimpse into what it means to be a parent even when the children have left the home.
Director Domee Shi, who is the first female director to direct a Pixar short, told Entertainment Weekly that the story is based on her own upbringing.
“Often times it felt like my mom would treat me like a precious little dumpling, wanting to make sure I was safe, that I didn’t go out late, all that stuff,” she said. “I just wanted to create this magical, modern-day fairy tale, kind of like a Chinese Gingerbread Man story. The word ‘bao’ actually means two things in Chinese. Said one way, it means steamed bun; said another, it means something precious — a treasure.”
It’s a fitting short to accompany “Incredibles 2,” a film centered on the superhero family and their struggles to raise a new baby boy with superhero abilities.
"Incredibles 2" and "Bao" will resume Pixar's tradition of showing company-made short films before their feature-length films, a tradition they dropped for their 2017 film "Coco." Instead of a Pixar short, "Coco" featured the Disney short film “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,” making "Coco" the only film in the company's history not to have a Pixar short show before it.
It was a gamble that didn't pay off for the Oscar-winning animation company, as the “Frozen” spinoff drew harsh criticism for being long, boring and simply unfunny. Theaters in Mexico even pulled "Olaf's Frozen Adventure" for all “Coco” screenings.