The Academy Award for Best Animated Short, up until recent history, has been a category that has flown by under the radar for most people, simply because the films have not been available to the general public. But thanks to the internet, almost every film nominated is accessible, either for free or for a nominal fee, through various streaming or online video services, making the category a bit more high profile.
Here is look at each nominee for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film:
Borrowed Time – dirs. Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj, USA, 7 minutes
Borrowed Time made its way around the internet earlier in the year, primarily due to the directors’ connection to Pixar (the film was made as part of the company’s internal Pixar University professional development program). Pixar has proved that they are capable of telling incredibly powerful and emotionally engaging stories, particularly in a short time frame (the montage of Ellie and Carl’s relationship in the beginning of UP is Oscar worthy in itself), and Borrowed Time is no different. It’s a stunning looking and emotionally gripping film. I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t take home the Oscar this year.
Pearl – dir. Patrick Osborne, USA, 6 minutes
Pearl is a very sweet and touching film about a struggling musician and his relationship with his daughter. Set completely to a song, the film plays out less like a music video and more of life soundtrack. Produced by Google Spotlight Stories and Evil Eye Pictures, Pearl is the first virtual reality project to be nominated for an Academy Award,which speaks volumes about the current state of technology. The film is available in 360 on You Tube.
Blind Vaysha – dir. Theodore Ushev, Canada, 8 minutes
Blind Vaysha is a fascinating film that tells the story of a young girl whose left eye only sees the past and a right eye that only sees the future, preventing her from living in the present. It’s told very much in the style of old cautionary fables, with simplistic yet elegant animation that looks as though it was created using block printing.
Piper – dir. Alan Barillaro, USA, 6 minutes
Pixars’ Piper premiered theatrically before Finding Dory screenings, and was an instant fan favorite, due to just how damn adorable it is. It showcases Pxar’s best animation to date, but the story has very little in terms of substance, particularly compared to the rest of the nominations.
Pear Cider and Cigarettes – dir. Robert Valley, Canada and UK, 35 minutes
Hard-living Techno Stypes has been Robert’s best friend since childhood, and over the years, Robert has been amazed by Techno’s ability to sabotage himself. When Techno is hospitalized in China and needs a liver transplant, Robert goes on a wild ride to get him home to Vancouver. Pear Cider and Cigarettes is a film that would be told from the perspective of a long term friend of Hunter S. Thompson, trying to wrangle a wreck loose for his own good. The stylized animation is very reminiscent of the films that were being created during the animation boom in the nineties. The story, which is not surprisingly a true one, is captivating, and I’ll be surprised if the story isn’t optioned for a feature length live action film.