Praying Mantis

A mutant praying mantis takes the form of a woman to lure men into traps throughout a city at night. Driven by a desire to save her offspring, she explores the darker side of maternal instincts. When one of her attempts fails, hidden secrets and details about her past are revealed.

This animated horror short is a co-production between Hong Kong and Taiwan, produced by several companies including Miyu Distribution and Far-Sun Film Co. Ltd. The film was directed by Joe Hsieh, who previously directed The Garden of Delights in 2004 and Meat Days in 2006. It was also directed by Yonfan, whose prior work includes Story of Rose in 1986 and Venice 70: Future Reloaded in 2013. The screenplay was written by Joe Hsieh, Chan Chun-chieh, and Jie Zhan.

The voice cast features Vera Chen as Mother Ali and Grace Chen Shu-Fang as the Head Nurse. Other roles are performed by Bamboo Chen, Lan Yun-li, Chang Ching-chia, and Tsai Ming-shiou. The production involved a credited crew of 56 people. Released on December 6, 2025, the film has a total runtime of 18 minutes.