Domee Shi

Artist Domee Shi broke new ground for women in the field of animation. Born in China, her family immigrated to Canada while she was just a toddler. After college, she began an internship with animation powerhouse Pixar, thanks in part on the strength of her webcomic "My Food Fantasies." She worked as a storyboard artist for the studio's blockbuster hit "Inside Out" (2015) and also contributed work to "The Good Dinosaur" (2015). She pitched the idea for a short film to "Inside Out" director and Pixar executive Pete Docter, who greenlit the project. The resulting film, "Bao" (2018), ran in theaters before the studio's "Incredibles 2," which Shi also provided storyboard support for. The whimsical tale of a dumpling that comes to life served as an allegorical look at a mother-child relationship, more specifically in a Chinese family. The film marked the first solo directing effort by a female for Pixar and earned an Academy Awards nomination for Best Animated Short Film. Continuing work for the Disney-owned studio, Shi provided storyboards for the continuation of Pixar's most famous franchise with "Toy Story 4" (2019).