Toronto-raised director Domee Shi pumped up her fellow 害羞草研究所渘erdy害羞草研究所� artists on Sunday as she won her first-ever Oscar for the animated dumpling tale 害羞草研究所淏ao,害羞草研究所� which marks Pixar害羞草研究所檚 first short film directed by a woman.

害羞草研究所淭o all of the nerdy girls out there who hide behind their sketchbooks 害羞草研究所� don害羞草研究所檛 be afraid to tell your stories to the world,害羞草研究所� Shi said onstage in her acceptance speech at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e going to freak people out but you害羞草研究所檒l probably connect with them, too, and that害羞草研究所檚 an amazing feeling to have. Thank you to (executive producer) Pete Docter for believing in my weirdness and for giving me a voice at the studio.害羞草研究所�

Shi, who shares the Oscar with producer Becky Neiman-Cobb, also thanked her parents and her partner for his support and for being her 害羞草研究所渉uman stressball.害羞草研究所�

Shi wrote and directed the Pixar production, about a Chinese-Canadian woman with empty-nest syndrome who dotes on an adorable little dumpling that miraculously springs to life at the dinner table.

The eight-minute film is set in Toronto and features many of the city害羞草研究所檚 landmarks.

Shi was born in Chongqing, China and moved to Toronto with her family at age two. She used her upbringing and love of food as inspiration for 害羞草研究所淏ao,害羞草研究所� which played in theatres with 害羞草研究所滻ncredibles 2.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 an only child, so I害羞草研究所檝e always been that overprotected little dumpling for my whole life,害羞草研究所� she said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

害羞草研究所淚 just wanted to use this short to explore that relationship between an overprotective parent and a child, using this magical metaphor.害羞草研究所�

Since 害羞草研究所淏ao害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶚s release, two more women have directed animated shorts at Pixar: Rosana Sullivan with 害羞草研究所淜itbull害羞草研究所� and Kristen Lester with 害羞草研究所淧url.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶚Bao害羞草研究所� blazed a trail, but 害羞草研究所� we are just happy to be one of many, many female directors to come,害羞草研究所� Shi told reporters backstage after her win.

Look who stopped by the Thank You Cam, presented by ! Best Animated Short winners for Bao.

害羞草研究所� The Academy (@TheAcademy)

A graduate of the animation program at Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Sheridan College, Shi beat out two other films by Canadians for the Oscar 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淲eekends害羞草研究所� by Hamilton-born Trevor Jimenez and 害羞草研究所淎nimal Behaviour害羞草研究所� by Vancouver-based couple David Fine and Alison Snowden.

害羞草研究所淏ao害羞草研究所� was one of three short-film ideas she had presented to a panel of Pixar representatives as part of an open call for pitches at the studio in 2015.

Shi is now working on a feature film.

害羞草研究所淚 think one of the great things about being able to make 害羞草研究所楤ao害羞草研究所� is I got to do a lot more research and really dive into my heritage,害羞草研究所� she said backstage.

害羞草研究所淚 kind of took it for granted. Like, I took my mom making dumplings for granted when I was growing up. She would just pop them out so quickly.害羞草研究所�

Canadian sound engineer Paul Massey also won his first Oscar for his work on 害羞草研究所淏ohemian Rhapsody.害羞草研究所� He won the trophy alongside Tim Cavagin and John Casali in the best sound mixing category.

Massey thanked his kids, as well as the film害羞草研究所檚 producers, sound crew and members of rock band Queen, who are the subject of the film.

害羞草研究所淎 massive shout-out to Brian May and Roger Taylor,害羞草研究所� Massey said. 害羞草研究所漈hank you so much for your music and for your collaboration and your support.害羞草研究所�

He later told reporters it was a 害羞草研究所減roject of a lifetime,害羞草研究所� noting May and Taylor allowed the team 害羞草研究所渋nto their family.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey told us stories about Freddie (Mercury),害羞草研究所� Massey said of the Queen frontman, who died in 1991. 害羞草研究所漈he engineers that they worked with gave us full access to their archives of music, all their live material, all their studio material.害羞草研究所�

The team 害羞草研究所渓earned so much about Freddie that害羞草研究所檚 not in the film as well and some of their personal stories,害羞草研究所� he added.

害羞草研究所淚t was just a joy to be part of that team. And actually, I think we all wished it hadn害羞草研究所檛 finished.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE: 害羞草研究所楬ow to Train Your Dragon害羞草研究所� tops Oscar weekend with $55.5M

It was the eighth Oscar nomination for Massey, who was born in England but early in his career lived in Toronto for 13 years before moving to Los Angeles.

His other nominations include the films 害羞草研究所淭he Martian害羞草研究所� by Ridley Scott, with whom he害羞草研究所檚 worked on several projects, 害羞草研究所�3:10 to Yuma,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淲alk the Line害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淟egends of the Fall.害羞草研究所�

Massey won in a category that also included Canadian sound mixer Craig Henighan for 害羞草研究所淩oma.害羞草研究所�

A few other Canadians were nominated but lost at the show, which didn害羞草研究所檛 have a host for the first time in 30 years.

Canadian set decorator Gordon Sim of St. Thomas, Ont., was nominated for 害羞草研究所淢ary Poppins Returns.害羞草研究所�

And the live action short film category had two finalists from Montreal 害羞草研究所� Jeremy Comte for 害羞草研究所淔auve害羞草研究所� and Marianne Farley for 害羞草研究所淢arguerite.害羞草研究所�

VIDEO: 害羞草研究所楪reen Book害羞草研究所� wins best picture at Academy Awards

The show also featured two Toronto-raised presenters 害羞草研究所� Mike Myers and Stephan James.

Myers, who plays a record executive in 害羞草研究所淏ohemian Rhapsody,害羞草研究所� did a 害羞草研究所漌ayne害羞草研究所檚 World害羞草研究所� bit with Dana Carvey onstage as they presented the film as a best-picture nominee.

害羞草研究所淲ayne害羞草研究所檚 World害羞草研究所� features a famous scene in which the duo害羞草研究所檚 rock-worshipping characters sing 害羞草研究所淏ohemian Rhapsody害羞草研究所� in their car.

害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶚Bohemian Rhapsody害羞草研究所� played a large part in the success of 害羞草研究所榃ayne害羞草研究所檚 World,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Myers, wearing his Order of Canada pin.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e humbled to be associated with that brilliant song.害羞草研究所�

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .