The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Thursday announced the 96th Academy Awards shortlisted films in 10 categories, including Animated Short Film. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch picked 15 films to advance in the category, after reviewing 93 qualified film.
These same members will now vote for the final five nominees between Thursday, January 11 and Tuesday, January 16. Nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 23. The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
Here is a quick reference guide to introduce you to this year’s shortlisted elite, representing a range of techniques and stories, hailing from major studios, household names, indie auteurs and the next class of promising animation grads:
Boom
France
Directors: Gabriel Augerai, Romain Augier, Charles Di Cicco, Yannick Jacquin, Laurie Pereira de Figueiredo
Producers: Julien DeParis, Écoledes Nouvelles Images
Synopsis: Silly birds try to protect their eggs from a powerful volcanic eruption.
Awards: Student Academy Award (Gold Medal – Oscar Qualifying), SIGGRAPH 2023 Computer Animation Festival (Audience Award)
miyu.fr
Eeva
Estonia, Croatia
Directors: Morten Tšinakov, Lucija Mrzljak
Producers: Adriatic Animation, co-produced by Joonisfilm
Synopsis: It’s pouring down with rain at the funeral. There’s a lot of crying, too much wine, several woodpeckers and a couple of dreams that fill in the gaps.
Qualifying Win: Nashville Film Festival (Best Animated Short – Oscar Qualifying), Annecy Festival (Alexeiff-Parker Award), Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films (Croatian Film Grand Prize), Ottawa International Animation Festival (Best Sound Design)
Humo (Smoke)
Mexico, U.S.
Director: Rita Basulto
Producers: 3rd Street Video, Mindsoup Entertainment, Outik Animation
Synopsis: A boy, Daniel, travels by train towards a dark destination known as the smokehouse.
Awards: HollyShorts Film Festival (Best Animation Award – Oscar Qualifying)
@RitaBasulto
I’m Hip
U.S.
Director: John Musker
Producer: John Musker
Synopsis: The world doesn’t quite agree with a self-absorbed cat who proclaims his “hipness” to the world in a jazzy song and dance.
Qualified by exhibition
A Kind of Testament
France
Director: Stephen Vuillemin
Producer: Remembers
Synopsis: A young woman comes across animations on the internet that have clearly been created from her private selfies. A stranger with the same name confesses to identity theft. But death is quicker than the answer to the question: “Why?”
Awards: Go Short International Short Film Festival Nijmegen (Best European Short Animation Film – Oscar Qualifying), Ghent International Film Festival (Best International Short Film), Zagreb World Festival of Animated Film (Zlatko Grgic Award), Fantoche International Animation Film Festival (Best Film, International)
@aycevee
Koerkorter (Dog Apartment)
Estonia
Director: Priit Tender
Produceres: Kerdi Oengo, Nukufilm
Synopsis: Ill fortune finds a ballet dancer Sergei exiled a suburban kolhoz, where he fights mundane battles against routine, domestic animals and alcohol.
Awards: In the Palace International Short Film Festival (Best Animation, International Competition – Oscar Qualifying), Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (Grand Prix International Competition – Oscar Qualifying), Tampere Film Festival (Best Animation, International), EFTA (Best Animated Film), London International Animation Festival (Best Film of the Festival and Audience Award)
nukufilm.ee
Letter to a Pig
France, Israel
Director: Tal Kantor
Producers: Pierre Baussaron, Amit R. Gicelter, Emmanuel-Alain Raynal, Miyu Productions, The Hive Studio
Synopsis: A Holocaust survivor writes a “thank you” letter, after the war, to the pig that saved his life. Following his testimony in the classroom, a young schoolgirl dreams a dark version of his story.
Awards: Anima (Grand Prix Anima for Best International Short Film – Oscar Qualifying), Israeli Film Academy (Best Short Film), Jerusalem Film Festival (Best Animation Film), Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films (Zlatko Grgic Award), Ottawa International Animation Festival (Grand Prize, Narrative Short), Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival (The Golden Egg), Anima – Brussels Animation Film Festival (Grand Prize, Best International Short Film)
talkantor.com
Watch the full short on YouTube.
Ninety-five Senses
U.S.
Directors: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess
Producers: Miles David Romney, Tori A. Baker
Synopsis: An ode to the body’s five senses delivered by a man with little time left to enjoy them.
Awards: Florida Film Festival (Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short – Oscar Qualifying), Guadalajara International Film Festival (Best Animated Short Film Special Mention), Rhode Island International Film Festival (Best Animated Short First Prize), Washington DC Shorts (Outstanding Animated Short and Audience Award), Calgary International Film Festival (Audience Award), Santa Fe International Film Festival (Best Animated Short), UK Film Festival (Best Animation), Palm Springs International Animation Festival (Best Hand-Drawn), Desertscape International Film Festival (Best Short Film), Animation Dingle (Best International Professional Short)
maststudio.org
Once Upon a Studio
U.S.
Directors: Dan Abraham, Trent Correy
Producers: Yvett Merino, Brad Simonsen, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Synopsis: An all-star ensemble of beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios assembles to take a group photo in honor of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary — making for a joyful, entertaining and emotional reunion.
Qualified by exhibition
disneyplus.com
Watch the full short on YouTube.
Our Uniform
Iran
Director and Producer: Yegane Moghaddam
Synopsis: An Iranian girl unfolds her school memories through the wrinkles and fabrics of her old uniform. She admits that she’s nothing but a “female” and explores the roots of this idea in her school years.
Awards: Animayo (Grand Jury Prize – Oscar Qualifying), Annecy Festival (Jean-Luc Hiberras Award for Best First Flim), Fantoche (Audience Award, International)
yegane.me
asdfasfd
Pachyderme
France
Director: Stephanié Clement
Producers: TNZPV Productions, Folimage
Synopsis: Like every summer, Louise stays at her grandparents’ in the countryside for a few days during the holidays. It will snow at the height of summer and a monster is going to die.
Awards: Foyle Film Festival (Best Animated Short Film – Oscar Qualifying), Manchester Animation Festival (Best Short Film – Oscar Qualifying)
nousvoir.com
Watch the full film on YouTube.
Pete
U.S.
Director: Bret “Brook” Parker
Producer: Jake Kaplan
Synopsis: Gender identity, Little League Baseball, the people who inspire change by trying to be themselves, and the superheroes who allow that change to happen.
Awards: Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (Best Animated Short), Cleveland International Film Festival (Best Family Short) — Qualified by exhibition
petethefilm.com
27
France, Hungary
Director: Flóra Anna Buda
Producers: Pierre Baussaron, Péter Benjámin Lukács, Laure Goasguen, Gábor Osváth, Emmanuel-Alain Raynal, Boddah, Miyu Productions
Synopsis: Alice is 27 years old today. Even though she is suffocating a bit, she still lives with her parents and tends to live in her dreams to escape her dreary everyday life. After a psychedelic party on a factory roof, she has a serious drunken bike accident.
Awards: Annecy International Animation Film Festival (Cristal for a Short Film – Oscar Qualifying, Animation Sans Frontiéres Short Film, Best Original Music for a Short Film), Festival de Cannes (Palme d’Or, Best Short Film – Oscar Qualifying), Melbourne International Film Festival (Best Animation Short Film – Oscar Qualifying), Sarajevo Film Festival (Heart of Sarajevo for the Best Short Film – Oscar Qualifying), Leeds International Film Festival (International Animation), LINOLEUM (Jury Prize, International)
floraannabuda.com
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko
U.S.
Director: Dave Mullins
Producer: Brad Booker; animation by Wētā FX; financing from ElectroLeague, Unreal and executive producers Sean Ono Lennon and Yoko Ono
Synopsis: In an alternate WWI-era reality where a senseless war rages on, two soldiers on opposite sides play a joyful game of chess via carrier pigeon. Neither soldier knows his opponent as the game and the war builds to its climatic final move.
Website: electroleague.com
@BradleyBooker @DaveMullins @ElectroleagueX Qualified by exhibition
Wild Summon
U.K.
Directors: Saul Freed, Karni Arieli
Producers: Karni Arieli, Saul Freed, Jay Woolley
Synopsis: A natural history fantasy film, following the dramatic life cycle of the wild salmon in human form. Narrated by Marianne Faithfull.
Awards: Raindance Film Festival (Best Animation Short), Fantasy Filmfest (Audience Award) — Qualified by exhibition
sulkybunny.com
