Bao

Bao is a Pixar short film that was released on June 15, 2018 alongside Incredibles 2. It was directed by Domee Shi and produced by Becky Neiman-Cobb, with John Lasseter and Pete Docter acting as executive producers.^[2]

Summary

The short begins with a Chinese couple who immigrated to Toronto, Canada. As the Husband leaves for work, the Wife cooks bao dumplings. However one of the dumplings comes alive, and she decides to raise it as her own child. However since the Bao Kid is so soft and frail, the Mom becomes overprotective. The Mom raises him well and joins him in Tai Chi routines. Yet the Bao Kid becomes more rebellious as he grows up obsessed with soccer. The Mom thinks soccer is too dangerous, despite Bao Kid enjoying it. The Mom becomes concerned as Bao Kid becomes emotionally detached from her, preferring to be alone or with his rowdy friends. One day, Bao Kid reveals that he is engaged to a woman the Mom never met and Bao Kid intends to move out of his parent's house with her. The Mom tries to stop this, ending up eating Bao Kid and falling in shock from her action.

It is revealed that the Bao Kid was an imaginary representation of the Mom's real biological son (who's head resembles a bao) and the whole premise was a metaphor for the Mom's nightmare and her suffering of empty nest syndrome. The son returns home to apologize for the break up and eventually the Mom forgives him. The parents are also personally introduced to their daughter-in-law, who quickly becomes loved by her in-laws and a new member of the family.