This adorable Toronto-based Disney Pixar short has been nominated for an Oscar

It’s official: An ultra-adorable Disney Pixar film, based in Toronto, has been nominated for an Oscar.

The short film “Bao” is directed by Toronto’s Domee Shi, and there’s a good chance it qualifies for the cutest video ever.

The category for best animated short includes a few Canucks: Bao sits alongside Animal Behaviour by Vancouver’s David Fine and Alison Snowden, and Weekends by Canadian-born director Trevor Jimenez.

The live action short film category has two finalists from Montreal, Jeremy Comte for Fauve and Marianne Farley for Marguerite.

Other Canadians with a chance to hoist the coveted golden statuette include sound mixer Paul Massey for Bohemian Rhapsody and set decorator Gordon Sim for Mary Poppins Returns.

And the nominees for the 91st #Oscars are…. https://t.co/UAgGz0dGj6 pic.twitter.com/nT8M13BQGP

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 22, 2019

According to IMDb, Shi was born in China and moved to Toronto when she was two years old. After studying animation at Sheridan College, she earned an internship at Pixar, and soon became the first woman to direct a Pixar short film.

The heartwarming short is about an ageing Chinese mom suffering from “empty nest syndrome,” who gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively dumpling boy.

See also

• This heartwarming Disney Pixar short is based in Toronto (VIDEO)
• Disney Pixar short based in Toronto is shortlisted for the Oscars
• Oscars 2019: A complete list of this year's Academy Award nominees

Pixar describes the film as the exploration of “the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship through the colourful, rich, and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada.”

And to make your heart swell with even more love, parts of Toronto are showcased in the short film, from the CN Tower to the city’s beloved streetcars.

We love seeing hints of Toronto in #Bao. Congratulations to director and @sheridancollege grad Domee Shi on making the #Oscars shortlist!
MT @DisneyPixar: Steams become reality! Our latest short, “Bao,” is streaming online for one week only. Watch it now: https://t.co/wbn2QLVvZF pic.twitter.com/sijZEKRB0e

— Canada (@Canada) December 19, 2018

The (so far host-less) Oscars will be televised on February 24 live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

It’s an exciting day for Toronto artists.

Perhaps we should celebrate.

With… bao?

Snack on this: #Bao is nominated for Best Animated Short! #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/8I6jV9AQar

— Disney•Pixar (@DisneyPixar) January 22, 2019