One of the most made-fun-of aspects of the Academy Awards every year is the vast number of nominated films that nobody sees, whether it be obscure foreign films, edgy documentaries or pretentious art films. One of the categories that gets this kind of criticism is the short-film category.
Every year, a host of short live action, animated and documentary films are nominated for their respective awards, mostly getting notoriety from film festivals all over the world and, if they’re lucky, they’ll play in front of feature films during their theatrical run. These more obscure screenings often make it more difficult for the general public to see them, which makes it hard to appreciate the hard work that goes into making these stories.
Short films, in many ways, can offer quite a bit that even feature films can’t much of the time. For starters, short films are often created by those just getting into filmmaking, so it’s a great way for filmmakers to test their skills while discovering their style. Depending on where some of these people go in the future, seeing their short films are a great way of seeing their progression as artists.
Another big plus with short films is that since most of them are not made for financial gain, filmmakers can often take more risks with the way they tell their stories. Whether it be the content, the way the characters are explored, or the technology used to bring the film to life, short films are often able to throw away the traditional rulebook that features must adhere to and express themselves in a more fascinating way.
This month, I had the lucky opportunity to see a collection of some of this year’s Oscar contenders for Best Live Action and Animated Short Films, as well as brief clips from some of the documentary short films, thanks to an event hosted by Google Fiber in Midtown. The films shown in their entirety during the evening included:
ANIMATED:
Starting off with the animated films, each one certainly brought something new. “Borrowed Time” told the story of a sheriff who returns to a space where he has been holding back some tough memories and the difficulty he faces moving on. Easily one of the most talked-about shorts during this Oscar season, the film is certainly a contender to be reckoned with with its stunningly gritty art style, beautiful and powerful use of animation, and themes we can all relate to about moving on from past mistakes.
“Pearl” was also a rather unique film, in its art style alone. Focusing on the life of a young girl and her relationship with her father, the story is seen through the eyes of their car, as their relationship holds many ups and downs. Some may recognize the film’s peculiar art style from the 2014 Best Animated Short winner, “Feast,” which can all be attributed to the director of both films, Patrick Osborne. Not only is the animation beautiful to look at, but the story’s brilliant use of music and unique perspective make it feel very unique from the crowd and sure to make it a tough act to beat.
Finally in the animated film category, there was the much beloved “Piper.” Some may recognize the short from its appearance before “Finding Dory” in theaters. This is where I saw the film for the first time, so I was rather pleased to hear of its much-deserved nomination. The film focuses on a baby sandpiper bird and his journey of building up the courage to go and get food from the beach by himself. A stunningly gorgeous short, the animation here is nothing short of truly breathtaking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-uzJB9Bc9U
It holds nothing back, showing off great amount of detail in its environments, character designs, and character animation, from the realistic look of the waves and sand to the accurate portrayal of how sandpipers behave and interact. Combine it with an adorable story that teaches us how conquering our fears can lead to new discoveries and it’s no wonder that this short has already captured the hearts of many (it’s also already won the short film award from the highly coveted Annie Awards).
LIVE ACTION:
Moving on to the live action films, the night brought us two incredibly well-received and diverse short films. “Timecode” was the first of these. The Spanish film follows the story of a male and female security guard, one who works during the day shift and one who works during the night shift. Throughout their shifts, the two begin to grow a peculiar relationship that involves their love for dancing.
Another film that realizes the importance of the show-don’t-tell rule of filmmaking, this story contains minimal dialogue and moves at a brisk pace. The way its two main characters and their relationship are developed is fascinating. It starts rather comedic, but as the film goes on, you learn to accept it more and it becomes a very beautiful thing. Throw in some beautifully choreographed dancing and this film is sure to deliver on some good laughs and heart-warming moments.
The final film to be shown in its entirety for the evening was the French live action short drama, “Ennemis intérieurs.” Taking place in the 1990s, the film tells the story of an Algerian man trying to get citizenship into France, which is made difficult due to his association with certain people in the past and a harsh police officer. While slow at times, the film uses its minimal resources to its advantage. Rather than relying on flashy storytelling, large locations or stunning visuals, the film uses its icy cold screenplay, spectacular performances and some expert minimalistic direction to draw in its audience and, for the most part, succeeds. The film has a heavy mood to it, and you really sympathize with the Algerian man who is obviously trying to obtain a better life but can’t let go of his past. While not the most re-watchable of the shorts, its steady pace, great actors and sharp dialogue make this a great film nonetheless.
This year’s collection of Oscar-nominated short films is a great reminder of what the power of film can truly hold, even in its shortest format. Whether it be a more lighthearted journey, a dark character study or something all on its own, the short films in competition for Oscar’s gold this year are a pack to be reckoned with. I look forward to seeing which ones make their way to the top!
Mikael, 18, is a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta where he majors in animation. Mikael has made a host of stop-motion and claymation short films, including his award-winning short film “The Tree That Refused To Fall,” and all of them can be found on his YouTube channel, Cyclops Studios.
