"Bao", directed by Chinese-Canadian Domee Shi and produced by Pixar Animation Studios, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 91st Academy Awards on Feb 24, 2019, local time.

The 8-minute film centers on a Chinese-Canadian mother suffering from empty nest syndrome, who regained her fulfillment as a mother when she made a baozi (steamed bun) that came to life.

The film is full of traditional Chinese expressions of family love, plus corresponding music and scenes, striking a chord with many overseas Chinese and Asian immigrants.

Domee Shi is Pixar's first Chinese female director. The story was adapted from her personal experiences.

Shi was born in Chongqing and immigrated to Toronto with her parents when she was two years old. As an only child, she felt she was well sheltered from childhood by her mother like the little precious baozi in the movie.

"I am the little baozi in the hands of my mother," said Shi, noting that her mother, as a first-generation immigrant, underwent a hard and lonely experience. "Chinese parents have always been protecting their children too much; some are unwilling to give a free hand even when their children grow up," she added.

Notably, Shi's mother was invited to join in the production of the film. She demonstrated how to make baozi step by step for the special effects team.

Shi also explained that the film name "Bao" is a pun. It not only means Chinese food baozi, but also implies treasures (bao in Chinese) – kids are the treasures in the eyes of their parents.

The short film was released with the Incredibles 2 on June 15, 2018, and was put on screen in the Chinese mainland on June 22, 2018.

Besides viewers from China and the rest of the world, who were moved by the film, some western magazines and websites gave the short film a positive evaluation.

Inkoo Kang of Slate called the film a "moving encapsulation of the Asian-immigrant experience". Jess Lee for Digital Spy said that the film "hit extremely close to home", and added that the story has "universal themes which should resonate with most cultures".

Moreover, "Minding the Gap" by Chinese director Liu Bing was nominated for the 91st Academy Award in the Feature Documentary category, and another Chinese works "One Small Step" got a nomination for Best Animated Short Film.