While Pixar is set to bust into the summer box office with the long awaited Incredibles sequel, their latest sneak peek via Entertainment Weekly of the upcoming effort Bao, a short film about a Chinese-Canadian woman suffering from depression who gets a new lease on motherhood when her handmade dumplings come to life is absolutely adorable.
Bao is also directed and basically inspired by Chinese-Canadian storyboard artist Domee Shi, who will become Pixar's first ever female short director. In a statement to EW, Shi explained how she drew inspiration from her childhood growing up as the only child to Chinese immigrants. "
“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,” Shi 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.”
Check out photos above.
Thumbnail courtesy of DISNEY/Pixar via Entertainment Weekly.