Bao: A Short Film About The Empty Nest Syndrome
Bao is a computer animated short film. It shows in an original way what consequences it can have when children grow up and move out. And the parents suddenly stand in front of their “empty nest”. This short film deals with exactly that: With this emotional state of loneliness and sadness that can arise after the children leave their parents’ house. For this there is the term Empty Nest Syndrome, which is Germanized from English .
In 2019, Bao won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film . It should also be noted that Bao is the first Pixar short film to be directed by a woman: Chinese-Canadian director Domee Shi. She managed, in just a few minutes, to perfectly capture the feelings of a mother who is faced with the fact: her son has grown up and decides to go his own way.
Bao: a short film about Empty Nest Syndrome
In Bao , the protagonist is a woman of Chinese-Canadian origin. She feels lonely and discouraged. At the beginning of the short film you can see the woman preparing baozi for dinner with her husband . These are Chinese steamed dumplings that are filled with either meat or vegetables.
To her surprise, however, the following happens when she tries to bite into the last of these dough dumplings: It comes to life and starts to cry! From then on she feeds and cares for the little dumpling as if it were her own child. But this gradually grows and demands more freedom and autonomy over time. But the mother protects her child so much that she doesn’t even let them play soccer with other children.
So the son in the form of a dumpling then becomes rebellious with the onset of puberty. He decides not to spend so much time with his mother anymore. This is very bad for them. But the biggest problem is yet to come: namely when the son introduces her to his girlfriend and announces his plans to move in with her. So move out of your home.
In the face of this situation, the mother loses control of herself and her emotions and, in her desperation, spontaneously devours the dumplings. So her own child. She immediately regrets what she did and weeps heartbroken.
Afterwards, the mother is shown, completely dejected, in her room. But suddenly her real son appears in the room. And this one is by no means a dough dumpling, but actually a person. Now both are reconciled and show the affection they feel for one another.
Finally, all members of the family, including the son’s girlfriend, come together and prepare baozis together . This last scene shows the satisfied and happy face of a mother who has overcome Empty Nest Syndrome.
Some thoughts on this short animated film
This wonderful animated short film invites its viewers to make various considerations. But above all, to think about how important it is for a mother to prepare for the moment when the child leaves the parental home. And in order to do this, one must first of all accept that it will inevitably come to that.
So you too should realize that your little ones will grow into teenagers and eventually adults and have to go their own way. They will pursue their own project in life. Yet this fact should not be seen as something sad and desolate. But rather as another phase of motherhood.
When a mother devotes a large part of her time to the best possible upbringing and education of her child over the years, a strong emotional bond is certainly created between the two. And this connection lasts forever. Even if the children decide to leave home.
“Sooner or later they go away because the journey is long. You will travel light. And only carry the values and love with you that you were able to give them, as long as they were yours. Only then will life itself tell you if your legacy and teaching have been good. Always remember that sooner or later they will go away. “
-Joel Tumax Ruby-
