Canadians Domee Shi and Paul Massey claimed Oscars at the 91st Annual Academy Awards on Sunday night.
Bao, directed by Toronto-raised Shi, 30, won the Oscar for Best Animated Short. The eight-minute film, which premiered in theatres this past summer ahead of Incredibles 2, is about an aging Chinese-Canadian mom suffering from empty-nest syndrome and inspired by Shi’s own upbringing as an only child.
Shi, who studied animation at Sheridan College, is the first woman to direct a short film for Pixar. She accepted the Oscar along with producer Becky Neiman-Cobb.
“To all of the nerdy girls out there who hide behind their sketchbooks don’t be afraid to tell your stories to the world,” Shi said in her acceptance speech. “You’re going to freak people out, but you’ll probably connect with them too.”
Sound engineer Paul Massey won for Sound Mixing on Bohemian Rhapsody, along with Tim Cavagin and John Casali. Massey was previously nominated seven times, including nods for his work on Walk the Line and Legends of the Fall, among other feature films.
Bohemian Rhapsody also claimed the award for Best Sound Editing. Sound teams were recognized for a soundtrack that incorporated original Queen tracks, including the band’s 1985 Live Aid performance.
Canadian Mike Myers, sporting his Order of Canada pin, and fellow Saturday Night Live alum Dana Carvey, took to the stage to introduce the Best Picture nominee. Myers, who plays a record exec in the Freddie Mercury biopic, started the bit with Carvey in character as their rock worshipping alter egos from 1992’s Wayne’s World.
“Bohemian Rhapsody played a large part in the success of Wayne’s World,” said Myers. “We’re humbled to be associated with that brilliant song.”
Scarborough-born actor Stephan James, one of the stars of If Beale Street Could Talk, which was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score, was also a presenter. James’ co-star Regina King won the award for Best Supporting Actress.
Find the full list of winners and nominees here.
