2021 Oscar Nominated Short Films - Animation
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
Always a great presentation and fantastic trip to the movies, you have to look fast because the short films are only in theaters for a few weeks, prior to the Oscars.
Oscar pools and Oscar party contests can be won and lost with the Short Film categories. Experiencing these nominees achieves both a better chance at victory and the opportunity to see some terrific and original films.
NO
Casual movie watchers tend to watch high profile, big name star movies and convincing people to watch short films is a challenge. No matter how good these films are, a large number of people are not going to care much.
You are not a fan of a wide range of genres and themes. You never know what you are going to get with these short film presentations and that mix of styles can throw people off.
OUR REVIEW
Every year, the ballot busters for Oscar pools and Oscar parties often prove to be the short film categories. Some advocate for their removal from the televised ceremony. Others seek them out every year in theaters, celebrating the creativity that lies within each slate of nominees. I, for one, love uncovering these each year, as well as other short films which gain traction within the industry and hope to make it to the highest stage possible – the Academy Awards.
Each year, ShortsTV and Shorts International secure the rights to the 15 short film nominees in the Animation, Live Action, and Documentary Short Subject categories and release them as individual screening packages in theaters. The week before the Oscars, they shift them to digital platforms for people to buy and watch at home.
The Short Film packages have proven wildly popular. Each year, the box office numbers have grown and the mini-film festival idea has really caught hold with Oscarwatchers, and those genuinely curious about the potential next wave of storytellers and filmmakers out in the world.
Before these nominees received theatrical distribution in 2005, the short film nominees were nearly impossible to find. Now, even as we slowly emerge from a global pandemic, these short films packages are playing in theaters and in virtual VOD presentations which support independent theaters trying to stay afloat.
And so, without any further ado, let's dive into this year’s nominees for Best Animated Short Film.
Burrow | 6 Minutes
Directed by Madeline Sharafian
★★★★
The most accessible nominee in terms of audience response, viewability and overall awareness, Burrow, originally slated to premiere theatrically as a short film ahead of fellow Oscar nominee Soul, is available on Disney+. Those who watch it will find a wonderful little film about a female bunny trying to find a place to call her own.
As she tunnels under the earth to begin a modest home, with the dream of a disco ball as an accessory, she continues to find her potential landing spot at or near other underground creatures’ homes. The unnamed bunny finds her burrowing into an underground labyrinth of homes and dwellings. Embarrassed and skittish, she eventually digs her way so far down into the ground she feels all alone.
Touching on themes of anxiety and overcoming one’s fears, the bunny confronts her hesitancy and forges a unique alliance with the animals she encounters. This is as pure and endearing a nominee as you’ll find in the slate this year. Madeline Shafarian’s film will certainly please most crowds, while sending viewers away with a wonderful message about both inclusiveness and self-independence.
Genius Loci | 16 Minutes
Directed by Adrien Mérigeau
★★1/2
Visually compelling, Genius Loci is a film that feels too long and abstract to have its messages stick to the skin. The film’s name, a term used to define the atmosphere and/or spirit surrounding a place in time, gives weight to the film’s appearance and pacing. The main character, Reine, is a Black woman living in France, sharing existential thoughts on the world around her. She is clearly struggling to some degree, and whether it is anxiety, depression, or something else, her mental health and wellbeing is a driving force behind director Adrien Mérigeau’s presentation.
Again, the visuals are not the issue. Genius Loci has some of the most compelling frames of animation in this year’s slate of nominees. The film just lacks a rhythm to connect with. As our eyes wander around the screen, looking and analyzing the visuals given to us, we get lost following Reine’s story. Perhaps, in some ways, that’s the idea and would bind us to the concept of “genius loci” appropriately. In the end however, visuals can only take us so far and Genius Loci just needed more story to complete the overall picture Mérigeau is trying to paint for us.
If Anything Happens I Love You | 13 Minutes
Directed by Will McCormack and Michael Govier
★★★1/2
I imagine the sobering and timely If Anything Happens I Love You is headed to an Oscar win. And in some ways, this is a worthwhile recipient. Hypnotic black-and-white visuals, a wonderful score, a great alt-pop song by King Princess (“1950”) which becomes almost a character in and of itself - Will McCormack and Michael Govier’s film does a lot of things right. And it’s easily accessible, premiering on Netflix in the fall of 2020.
The issue with the film, halting an overwhelming enthusiastic review, is not the film’s subject matter, but the polarizing way in which the final reveal is delivered. Throughout the film, two parents co-exist and we soon realize they have lost a child. More and more is revealed and we see their daughter was perhaps a pre-teen or just entering those teenage years. Told in flashback, in beautifully drawn shadow-like sketches, we see her sent off to her first day of high school and then, well, you can fill in the rest of the story.
Within the final minute or so, the soundtrack crackles with the realities of why the parents no longer have a daughter at home and the movie sits uneasy with such a sudden, on-the-nose conclusion. I halfway expected a disclaimer to pop up, but perhaps I am being too crass. The film is beautifully drawn, and a largely moving story of loss and grief. I just wish the balance of storytelling and emotions was less shock-and-awe and more nuanced. The point does get across though and I imagine Oscar voters will be moved by the final result.
Opera | 9 Minutes
Directed by Erick Oh
★★★
Earlier I mentioned that visuals can only take a film so far. And so, along comes Opera, a stunning animation achievement from animator/director Erick Oh. A fun, experimental film, Opera depicts a society of repetitive behaviors. The two-dimensional film, as presented here, is 9 minutes but really runs for an infinite loop if one allows.
There is no actual narrative…unless you create one. You can do so by focusing on one of the many chambers of activity shown on screen. Designed to overwhelm initially, you can watch Opera dozens of times and see things you have never noticed before. Creating a society of sorts, everywhere you look something is happening. Themes begin to emerge. Oppression, companionship, anger, classism, racism, war. In this presentation, the camera slowly moves from the top of the structure down to the bottom where a climactic event unfolds. And then, we move back up and see the totality of Oh’s world-building.
There are no edits, the film is one continuous take. Sadly, a theatrical or at-home presentation dampens Opera’s overall impact. Oh’s film premiered as an 8K visual installation in Austria last fall and the way to see this is to find a way to watch it multiple times, as big as you can, to properly see everything Oh and his animators have built. Most will only get one chance to view this and that’s a shame. Opera is the most stunning animated film in the nomination field, but also, ironically, the film that suffers the most from being converted into a format for as many people to watch this as possible.
Yes-People | 9 Minutes
Directed by Gísli Darri Halldórsson
★★★1/2
From Iceland, Yes-People is a goofy, entertaining romp which finds a number of people engaged in multiple behaviors they all seem agreeable to. Director Gísli Darri Halldórsson was inspired to include characters based on a wide variety of people he has met through the years and place them in situations where they can say “yes” or “ja” a lot…and in a variety of ways.
Though we may chuckle and laugh along, and perhaps even relate to the situations on screen, Yes-People becomes a commentary on routine and the mundanity of life. Set largely in one setting, an apartment building, we begin to latch onto the characters and their personalities just as the film comes to an end. Perhaps the film is forgettable for some, but I found it a nice “let me up” moment from some of the more challenging nominees and appreciate the humorous commentary on everyday life it provides.
Overall Thoughts:
A significant step down from last year’s remarkable slate of nominees, this year’s Animated Short Film nominees are bound together by themes of existing within an ever-changing society that does not discriminate in creating challenges or opportunities for individuals.
The two frontrunners, in my mind, are the two films easiest to find. If Anything Happens I Love You (Netflix) and Burrow (Disney+) will command the most attention, while voters and viewers will likely be curious about Opera, entertained by Yes-People and unsure just where Genius Loci is taking them.
My personal choice might be Burrow, but I anticipate Netflix winning its first Oscar in the Animated Short Film category with the impact If Anything Happens I Love You leaves on viewers as the final credits roll on by.
NOTE: For purposes of theatrical presentation, the five nominated films are programmed with three acclaimed animated short films which did not earn Oscar recognition. The entire presentation of eight films runs approximately 99 minutes and these five nominees are accompanied by: Kapaemahu, a story steeped in Hawaiian history, previously unknown, of four healing stones located on Waikiki, which relate to the Hawaiian concepts of healing and gender diversity; The Snail and the Whale is based on an acclaimed picture book of the same name and features voices by Diana Rigg, Sally Hawkins, and Rob Brydon. The film details the journey of a snail who sees the world riding on the tail of a humpback whale. With To: Gerard, an elderly mailman finds an opportunity to fulfill his long-awaited dream: To host a magic show, in front of an audience, like his childhood hero.
CAST & CREW
Directors of Oscar-nominated films: Madeline Sharafian (Burrow), Adrien Mérigeau (Genius Loci), Will McCormack, Michael Govier (If Anything Happens I Love You), Erick Oh (Opera), Gísli Darri Halldórsson (Yes-People).
Release Date: April 2, 2021 (theatrical); April 20, 2021 (VOD)
ShortsTV/Shorts International