Friday marked the premiere of "Turning Red," the new Pixar animated movie that chronicles what it's like growing up as a Chinese Canadian teen in Toronto.
It's the first feature-length Pixar film to be set in Canada. The film boldly explores the awkward moments that teen girls can experience, with the lead character, Mei Lee, turning into a giant red panda at times -- a metaphor for puberty.
"I specifically wanted to tackle the topic of puberty -- girl puberty -- and that moment in your life, especially for me, where I went from being my mom's perfect little daughter to being this raging hormonal beast that was fighting with her all the time," Shi told CTV News.
Set in the early 2000s, the movie features plenty of landmarks familiar to anyone who grew up in Toronto in that era, including the CN Tower, SkyDome, Chinatown and Kensington Market. TTC streetcars are also prominently featured and Mei's school -- Lester B. Pearson Middle School – is also named after Canada's 14th prime minister and inspired by real schools in the city.
"It was inspired by my own life and Pixar was totally on board," said Shi.
The film was based on director Domee Shi's own upbringing in Toronto and her relationship with her overprotective mom.
Shi is a graduate of Sheridan College in Oakville, Ont. and also won an Academy Award in 2019 for "Bao," an animated short film also set in Toronto about a Chinese dumpling that comes to life.
"Turning Red" is also the first Pixar feature film to be solely directed by a woman, and the key filmmaking team was also all-female. Canadian actor Sandra Oh, who voice's Mei's mother, was keen to be a part of the project.
"Domee Shi -- a fellow Canadian and such a bright and amazing talented filmmaker! It's like I wanted her to direct me," Oh said.
Because of the lingering COVID-19 concerns, the movie is bypassing theatres and was released exclusively on the streaming service Disney Plus on Friday. Still, Shi's film has been getting rave reviews and seems destined to be a hit.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, putting him in charge of a massive agency that oversees everything from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research and the social safety net programs Medicare and Medicaid.
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Police in North Vancouver say they prevented the theft of nearly $13,000 worth of cheese from a grocery store earlier this year. Now, they're asking the public for help finding the alleged thief.
Removing bike lanes on sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue could cost taxpayers at least $48 million.
The City of Longueuil has partially lifted the confinement measure currently in effect around the site of a CN train derailment near Jacques-Cartier West Boulevard and Saint-Georges Street after the incident spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide Thursday morning.
Starting in January, people will be able to make online reservations for campsites for the 2025 season.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
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Masses of residents fled a running battle Thursday between gang members and police in one of the few neighborhoods of Haiti’s capital that hadn't already been fully taken over by gangs, as violence flared amid political turmoil.
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Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Longoria said she has increasingly felt like the US is "a scary place" and that she feels it will continue to be following the results of the presidential election.
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Teamsters Canada says if Canada Post workers go on strike or are locked out, its members at Purolator won't handle any packages postmarked or identified as originating from the carrier.
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Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
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