It's been a decade since Domee Shi traded Toronto's bitter winters for sunny Los Angeles, but her hometown has never been far from her mind. Her directorial debut short film, 2018's Bao, for which she won an Academy Award, showed off Toronto's distinctive skyline and vibrant Chinatown. And in her first feature film, Turning Red, Shi once again returns to her roots and celebrates the diversity and gritty beauty of Canada's largest city.
"Those old [streetcars] from the '90s — the ones that had those windows that were always stuck, and gross seats," Shi laughs. "I loved putting those details in."
Sitting down with Exclaim!, Shi discusses some of the challenges of animating Toronto for Pixar — some practical, and others cultural.
"We were looking through the Daisy Mart [set] and one person called out a note, 'Um, for this sign that says "Bags of milk for $4.99," is that a mistake?'" recalls Shi of educating her American colleague about "the wonders of Canadian bagged milk."
For many Torontonians, the city's diversity is a source of pride. A city with a seemingly infinite number of culinary options from around the world, and multiple languages flying around the streets — celebrating this variety was a priority for Shi, but it didn't come without its obstacles.
"The diversity in the Toronto population was a challenge in the beginning because, in animation, you don't get anything for free. Every single variation of something, every single prop, a person has to get in there and build it," Shi explains. "I was so proud of the team for coming up with such a hugely diverse background cast that you [can] feel in the background, and they may be there for [only] a millisecond."
Shi's family initially lived in University of Toronto Family Housing, in the city's Bay Street Corridor neighbourhood. When she was in Grade 4, her family moved to the East York-Scarborough area, where she would remain until college. Shi's memories of growing up in Toronto are hilariously and distinctly Toronto: "I would walk to Jesse Ketchum Public School and I'd have to pass by the Brass Rail. My mom would be like, 'Look away!' And I'm like, 'What is that?'" she says of the city's long-standing strip club.
Shi's mom, and Shi's relationship with her, has inspired much of the filmmaker's work to date. Who can forget the mother in Bao who eats her little bao boy rather than let him go off into the world?
In Turning Red, the primary focus is on Mei Lee's journey into adulthood and how she poofs into a giant red panda when overly excited. But as much as the film explores adolescence and puberty, it also gives voice to the highs and lows of parenting a hormonal tween. Shi borrowed elements from her mom's occasional overbearing moments, and through creating Turning Red, Shi gained a better appreciation for what she put her mother through.
"[I was] able to dive into my own past, my own relationship with my mom when I was that age. I would also be going crazy if I had to take care of this hormonal beast," Shi muses. "I definitely empathize more with moms of teenagers out there."
When making Bao, Shi purposely made the child a boy to create some distance between herself and her art. It's been a few years since Bao was released, and she's had some time to consider why she needed that space. "At the time [of creating Bao], I was almost too afraid to go back there. Diving back into being an awkward tween and fighting with my mom every other day," Shi reflects.
With Turning Red, we see Shi take the bold step of injecting her own life experiences directly into her work. And in that way, the film isn't just a milestone of firsts for Shi — it also shows her growth as an artist and filmmaker.
"I feel like great art comes from that uncomfortable place that we want to avoid. At the end of the day, I think the best stuff comes from when you're vulnerable, and when you aren't afraid to access those parts of yourself," says Shi. "I let myself open up a little bit more with this movie. I'm still growing. I'm still learning as a filmmaker and a storyteller, too. I want to constantly keep challenging myself with every new project that I do."
The world is truly Shi's oyster. Already an Academy Award winner and backed by one of the largest animation studios in the world, it's exciting to see what Shi will create — all while keeping Toronto in her heart.
"Those old [streetcars] from the '90s — the ones that had those windows that were always stuck, and gross seats," Shi laughs. "I loved putting those details in."
Sitting down with Exclaim!, Shi discusses some of the challenges of animating Toronto for Pixar — some practical, and others cultural.
"We were looking through the Daisy Mart [set] and one person called out a note, 'Um, for this sign that says "Bags of milk for $4.99," is that a mistake?'" recalls Shi of educating her American colleague about "the wonders of Canadian bagged milk."
For many Torontonians, the city's diversity is a source of pride. A city with a seemingly infinite number of culinary options from around the world, and multiple languages flying around the streets — celebrating this variety was a priority for Shi, but it didn't come without its obstacles.
"The diversity in the Toronto population was a challenge in the beginning because, in animation, you don't get anything for free. Every single variation of something, every single prop, a person has to get in there and build it," Shi explains. "I was so proud of the team for coming up with such a hugely diverse background cast that you [can] feel in the background, and they may be there for [only] a millisecond."
Shi's family initially lived in University of Toronto Family Housing, in the city's Bay Street Corridor neighbourhood. When she was in Grade 4, her family moved to the East York-Scarborough area, where she would remain until college. Shi's memories of growing up in Toronto are hilariously and distinctly Toronto: "I would walk to Jesse Ketchum Public School and I'd have to pass by the Brass Rail. My mom would be like, 'Look away!' And I'm like, 'What is that?'" she says of the city's long-standing strip club.
Shi's mom, and Shi's relationship with her, has inspired much of the filmmaker's work to date. Who can forget the mother in Bao who eats her little bao boy rather than let him go off into the world?
In Turning Red, the primary focus is on Mei Lee's journey into adulthood and how she poofs into a giant red panda when overly excited. But as much as the film explores adolescence and puberty, it also gives voice to the highs and lows of parenting a hormonal tween. Shi borrowed elements from her mom's occasional overbearing moments, and through creating Turning Red, Shi gained a better appreciation for what she put her mother through.
"[I was] able to dive into my own past, my own relationship with my mom when I was that age. I would also be going crazy if I had to take care of this hormonal beast," Shi muses. "I definitely empathize more with moms of teenagers out there."
When making Bao, Shi purposely made the child a boy to create some distance between herself and her art. It's been a few years since Bao was released, and she's had some time to consider why she needed that space. "At the time [of creating Bao], I was almost too afraid to go back there. Diving back into being an awkward tween and fighting with my mom every other day," Shi reflects.
With Turning Red, we see Shi take the bold step of injecting her own life experiences directly into her work. And in that way, the film isn't just a milestone of firsts for Shi — it also shows her growth as an artist and filmmaker.
"I feel like great art comes from that uncomfortable place that we want to avoid. At the end of the day, I think the best stuff comes from when you're vulnerable, and when you aren't afraid to access those parts of yourself," says Shi. "I let myself open up a little bit more with this movie. I'm still growing. I'm still learning as a filmmaker and a storyteller, too. I want to constantly keep challenging myself with every new project that I do."
The world is truly Shi's oyster. Already an Academy Award winner and backed by one of the largest animation studios in the world, it's exciting to see what Shi will create — all while keeping Toronto in her heart.
