Disney Acquires “Nai Nai and Wai Po” Short For Reboot Of “People & Places”
Disney has announced that it has acquired first-generation Taiwanese American filmmaker Sean Wang’s short called “Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó”, which is a multigenerational story follows this grandma super team that dances, stretches and farts their sorrows away.
The short will premiere at the Doc NYC festival on November 11th 2023 and will be coming to Disney+ in 2024, where it will be the first instalment of the relaunch of “People & Places”, which was Walt Disney’s award-winning documentary short film series from the 1950s and 1960s. The collection of short documentary films will feature a mix of up-and-coming and established filmmakers telling the real-life stories of extraordinary people and places from around the globe that embody the Disney ethos.
Marjon Javadi, vice president of Original Documentaries, Disney Branded Television, said in a statement:
“‘Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó’ embodies the essence of Walt Disney’s storytelling legacy with its deep emotional impact and focus on family. As we celebrate 100 years of The Walt Disney Company, Sean Wang reminds us, through his grandmothers’ beautiful relationship, that we can find magic in the every day at any age.”
After making its world premiere at SXSW – taking home the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award – the film went on to make the IDA shortlist and win Grand Jury Awards at AFI Fest and SIFF 2023, along with the Audience Award at The Wrap 2023 Shortlist Film Festival and Special Jury Recognition at LAAPFF 2023. Other selections include Rooftop Films Summer Series, Palm Springs ShortsFest, CAAM Fest 2023 and Aesthetica Film Festival 2023.
With dialogue in Mandarin and English, the film is directed by Sean Wang, who is also a producer, along with Sam Davis (Academy Award-winning short “Period. End of Sentence.”) and Emmy-nominated Malcolm Pullinger. Wang is currently in post-production on his feature film “DìDi,” which is being produced by Disney alumni Carlos López Estrada and was selected for the 2023 Sundance Screenwriters Lab and Directors Lab. Additionally, Wang was selected to be part of the Project Advancement and Completion Fund, a collaboration between the Sundance Institute and The Walt Disney Company. This initiative provides resources and support to nine directors to advance their projects.
Disney announced it was bringing back “People & Places” in 2019, before Disney+ even launched.
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