One Large Poppington Please: Oscar-Nominated Shorts Round-Up
Hello, hello! It’s Oscars week, babes. I have not been stellar in watching Oscar nominated films this year BUT, I have gone to two screenings this week for the Oscar nominated shorts (screened in sets of live-action and animated).
Maybe you want a little something to try to see before the Oscars, maybe you want some insight into the shorts before you fill out your poll, maybe you just like reading what I write. Whatever the reason, let’s talk about those films!
First up, the live action films. I’ll be discussing all of the shorts in the order they were presented in Shorts TV’s screeners. This is the form in which I imagine many folks who have seen all of the films have seen them.
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Croatian: Čovjek koji nije mogao šutjeti) by writer/director Nebojša Slijepčević. This film centers on an event that was completely unknown to me going in—the Štrpci massacre of 1993, when 18 Muslims and 1 Croat were pulled off a train by the Serbian White Eagles paramilitary group and murdered. The film depicts the anxiety of the passengers, unsure of what exactly what was happening as they were one-by-one asked to produce “their papers” and the bravery of an ex-military officer who stands up to the the paramilitary thugs (real-life person, Tomo Buzov [Dragan Mićanović]). This is a slow, quiet work and Croatia’s first to gain an Academy Award nomination since Croatian Independence. This is very well-shot and well-acted. Not my favorite, but I can envision a world in which it wins because it’s a) historical b) based on true events and c) depicting history that has since been repeated (ethnonationalist conflict leading to mass killings). These are all things the Academy tends to like in its features.
Anuja (Hindi: अनुजा) is an American, Hindi-language short film by Adam J. Graves. It stars newcomer Sajda Pathan as a brilliant nine year old girl who lives with her sister. The two sisters work in a garment factory and live alone without parents or guardians. Anuja is presented the opportunity to take an admissions test for a school that could change her life, but must grapple with what leaving her old world behind could mean. This movie is certainly very sweet and as someone who has written about garment factory-workers before in another capacity, I certainly appreciate the value of bringing their stories to light. To me, this one landed somewhere in the middle of being lighthearted and didactic (read: PSA) and fell just a bit short for me. However, it was certainly well-made and I’d be interested in seeing this director (and this cast) do something less message-forward in the future.
I'm Not a Robot (Dutch: Ik ben geen robot) is Dutch-language short written and directed by Victoria Warmerdam. The film follows Lara who fails a series of CAPTCHA tests and ultimately discovers she is, in fact, a robot. I won’t beat around the bush. This was by far and away my favorite. It was incredibly funny and beautifully shot. While there were some surreal and sci-fi elements, it was extremely grounded. The first thing you hear in the film is the choir version of “Creep” by Radiohead that famously features in the film The Social Network. It became clear that this was some sort of playful needle-drop, a sign that Warmerdam is completely in on the joke in every sense of the phrase. And that’s where the short found its stride. I’m Not a Robot knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to push any message beyond that. For me, that’s what makes it so successful. It may be “too weird” to win at the Oscars, but god I hope not.
A Lien is written and directed by David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz and executive produced by Adam McKay. This story follows the harrowing tale of Oscar who is detained by ICE mere minutes after finishing an immigration interview for his path to citizenship. As Poppington consultant Andrew so beautifully pointed out to me, this one made the best use of the format of a short. This is, in part, in real-time and that really heightens the anxiety of the film to great effect. This is, obviously, message-y. However, perhaps because it’s unrelenting, perhaps just because it’s something that feels much closer to home, it hits a little bit different than the other message-y films. This feels more Oscar-y in all honesty. This is Poppington consultant Andrew’s pick and I totally can see it winning.
The Last Ranger directed by Cindy Lee and produced by Darwin Shaw & Will dramatizes rhino poaching and the conservation efforts in a Game Reserve in Eastern Cape, South Africa during the earlier stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The film features stand-out performances by Avumile Qongqo (conservationist/ranger Khuselwa) and Liyabona Mroqoza (the young protagonist Litha). This one has a lot of heart, though again, feels a bit closer to PSA than I’d prefer. However, any work being done to combat rhino poaching should certainly be commended.
Overall, these were very message-oriented save, perhaps, I’m Not a Robot. Though you could even take that as a commentary piece related to artificial intelligence, nonhuman existence, and the ethics of life-like tech. All but I’m Not a Robot had a note in the end credits speaking to the issues the film addressed. That aspect felt very heavy-handed. I’m not sure if this is something typical of Oscar-y short films, but it’s an overwhelming pattern here.
Now, the animated shorts.
Magic Candies, based on the Korean picture book Magic Candies, was written by Baek Hee-na and directed by Daisuke Nishio for Japanese animation studio Toei Animation. The story follows a lonely boy who discovers magical candies that ultimately allow him to connect to the people and world around him in a beautiful way. The art style is a little kooky, but this one really tugged at my heart strings. I'd be happy with a win for this one, even if it’s not my top pick.
In the Shadow of the Cypress (Iranian title: Dar saaye sarv) by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani and produced by Barfak Animation Studio is a wordless short about PTSD. That may sound like a tough sell, but this is one of the most striking and beautiful things I’ve seen in a long while, with a bold color scape and a sort of retro art style that make the piece feel almost ancient, though it is slyly revealed to be much more modern than you’d imagine. The film centers on a father suffering from PTSD and his daughter who cares for him and the way their lives change when a whale gets beached by their sea-side home. This is my personal pick for the Oscar.
Yuck! (French: Beurk!)by Loïc Espuche, is a French-language film about children who slowly turn from being grossed out by love and affection to falling in love with one another. This thing is really sweet and got a lot of great reactions from the crowd I saw it with, which is something I always gravitate towards. Because life is about experiencing collective joy. And also…love? So like, yeah this movie kinda rules. It’s cute and sweet. Very Pixar-y. I’m not sure I’d give it the Oscar (as if I have that power lmao), but I do think families should watch this one! Bring back shorts before movies and start with this one!
Wander To Wonder, written and directed by Nina Gantz, depicts the story of three tiny felt dolls (not unlike the “two dumb bitches telling each other exactly” dolls) living on the now-run-down set of a children’s show. To quote sixth grade general music class bop, “When Witches Were Waltzing,” “what a wild and weird and wonderful sight.” This film has everything. Found footage. Juggling. Licking blood. Animated dicks. It is so incredibly odd and at times unsettling in the best way possible. This one has a lot to say about aging and isolation. However, I have a feeling it’s just a little bit too much of an oddball for the Academy to go for it.
Beautiful Men by Nicolas Keppens tells the story of three Belgian brothers who arrive in Turkey to get hair transplants together, only to learn that the brother who booked the transplants made a mistake and only booked one appointment. This is exactly what it says on the tin—it has a lot to do with brotherly love and conflict, aging and beauty, and self image. This, like Wander to Wonder, is quite kooky and, similarly, has a bit of animated nudity in it. I enjoyed this enough, but I don’t think this one will take home the Oscar.
On the whole, the animated shorts had a much greater range in emotion and mood than the live-action ones. If you can only see one of the two collections, watch the animated ones. They’re a little bit weirder, but they’re much more enjoyable. But, if you can break up the live-action ones, go for it.
If you can only watch one animated short, I would recommend In the Shadow of Cypress. It’s just absolutely stunning and the themes are, sadly, evergreen. And if you’re a reader of this publication, you (like me) probably don’t get to see too much media from Iran. Take the opportunity to embrace something that’s wholly underrepresented and let yourself be taken by a father, a daughter, and a whale.
If you can only watch one live-action short, go for A Lien or I’m Not a Robot. A Lien is an important work and makes use of the short form expertly. It’s anxiety inducing in the way good art is. I’m Not a Robot is funny and thought-provoking and can start a lot of great conversations without being too heavy-handed. You can’t go wrong with either of these.
If you’re marking your ballots…I’m certainly not an expert. My money is on A Lien or The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent for live-action short (even though I personally want I’m Not a Robot to win). And I really do think In the Shadow of Cypress has a good shot for animated feature.
Watch on and read on, darlings.
I love you (allegedly).