China-centric Pixar flick gives food for thought

LOS ANGELES－"I love food. I love drawing food in a beautiful way. Dumplings are symbols of the Chinese family and I wanted my film, Bao, to be a celebration of family," China-born, Canadian director Domee Shi told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview.

Bao, a Pixar short, was released in theaters recently in front of Pixar's blockbuster animated feature, Incredibles 2.

A tasty morsel, Bao explores the life of a Chinese immigrant mom living in Toronto with her inattentive husband who is struggling to cope with loneliness after her beloved son flies the nest.

Remarkably, the mom's deep, empty-nester angst turns to joy when a cute, leftover dumpling (bao) comes alive in true Pinocchio fashion.

When asked why she wanted to tell this particular story, Shi said, "Traditionally, Chinese parents don't say 'I love you' to their kids. They say it with food or by fussing over them. I didn't use dialogue in the movie because I wanted it to be a universal story that spoke to everyone."

As the daughter of an overprotective mom herself, Shi also wanted to explore the complex pros and cons of family dynamics.

"When we feel strongly about someone, we don't want them to leave," she said. "My mother would call me her 'precious little steam bun.' She actually said to me once, 'I wish I could put you back in my stomach!'"

When asked why she made the dumpling a boy instead of a girl, Shi said, "The film was inspired by my own story, but I didn't want it to be biographical. I wanted more room for creative freedom."

"With a boy, I could work in more gags and story points, like when his mom was so protective she wouldn't even let him play soccer with his friends; or when the boy bun gets older, I could give him a sesame seed beard and a blonde girlfriend for his mom to react to," she added.

Shi graduated from the animation program at Sheridan College. She began as a story intern at Pixar Animation Studios in June 2011.