By Yuling Chen, iChongqing News

Chongqing- Chinese-Canadian director Domee Shi of Bao, a Pixar short has been more popular since she is honored as  Short Film (Animated) nominees for Oscars 2019. The nomination attracts global attention on Domee Shi, Pixar's first short film female director, and also she has become a source of pride in her hometown of Chongqing in Southwest China.

Screenshot from Bao, an Oscar-nominated Pixar short directed by Domee Shi (Photo credit to Pixar)

Oscar-nominated Bao full of Chinese elements

Typical Asian appearance, popular homemade dishes and traditional parent-child relationship, all presented in Bao are full of Chinese elements. At the first sight of the video, it occurs to us that “you are what you eat”. Actually, Chinese dishes embody the county’s cultural tenets and people’s philosophy of life. Cooking in China is always means a lot of time and energy, and of course, an ocean of love within. Delicious meals delicately prepared always serve as a common way for Chinese mothers to show their care for children. As the director explains that Bao not only stands for Baozi (steamed bun) but also means treasure. Love without words is hidden in the food. So in the latter part of the video, eating Baozi due to fear of losing turns out to be an extreme expression of her.

Mom prepares so many delicious foods for her son. (Photo credit to Pixar)

The short touches on the hot topic of the parent-child relationship in China

The Oscar-nominated Pixar short touches on the subject of the parent-child relationship in China, a hot topic currently. There are many one-child families in the country and Chinese parents tend to be over-protective for their precious treasure, especially in an aging society.

China may see rapid growth in the number of people aged 80 or above from 2025 to 2050, according to a recent report issued by Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Aging Well Association. The country will be an "aged society" by 2026, with more than 14 percent of the total population aged 65 and above.

So it is really struggling for the mom in Bao to get accustomed to a situation when her son grows up and lives with his foreign partner. When a family becomes an empty nest, life for parents seems hard.

The struggling Mom in Bao, a Pixar short (Photo credit to Pixar)

Born in a migrant city of China, she is now a Canadian

Chongqing in inland China has been a popular tourist destination for foreigners in recent years. The city’s three-dimensional feature and high temperatures make it a choice for the Grand Tour to have a car challenge. But beyond that, many foreigners may not know that Chongqing is arguably a migrant city where Shi was born. Open and inclusive, these are two words with high frequency to describe the city and its people. When it comes to Bao, immigration is one of its keywords. As an immigrant, Domee Shi sheds light on cultural diversity as the film ending that the daughter-in-law makes Baozi together with her family members, smiling and enjoying.

Happy ending with family members making Baozi (steamed bun) together. (Photo credit to Pixar)

The 2019 Oscar ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 24, 2019. And then the winner for the Best Short Film (Animated) at the 91st Academy Awards will be announced.