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Bao

2018 · 8 min
Directed by Domee Shi · USA · American Independent Cinema
Short filmAnimationFamilyFantasy

Where to watch in the United States: Stream: Disney Plus · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home. Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDB; availability changes.

Cast

Sindy Lau Kai Li Sharmaine Yeoh Tim Zhang

Credits

Written by: Domee Shi
Cinematography: Patrick Lin Ian Megibben
Music: Toby Chu
Editing: Katherine Ringgold
Produced by: Becky Neiman

Plot

An aging Chinese mother suffering from empty nest syndrome gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively, giggly dumpling boy.

Sinekatalog’s take

A sweet, odd animated short about loneliness, food and the ache of a child growing up. Its warm kitchen details and tender surprise make it more emotional than its length suggests. A small treat that rewards a second viewing and works for parents especially.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

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Ratings

IMDb: 7.5 / 10 (36,175 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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