Oh, those notorious Oscar nominated short films. They may be hard to predict, but at least they’re all cripplingly sad. We took our annual weekend of having our souls ripped from our chests to bring you our predictions. We do this for you.
We saw a real trend in our predictions this year, as each short film we predicted was the most uplifting or inspirational in a series of mostly depressing shorts. When confronted with so much tragedy, voters tend to vote for hope.
And so, with hope in our hearts, we present our predictions for the Oscar nominated shorts.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
This documentary short ticks some essential boxes for Oscar voters. It deals with topical issues, but does so in a way that’s inspirational and hopeful. In a category often filled with despair, Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re A Girl) tells a charming and heartfelt story of courage in the face of adversity. It shares a lot of similarities with last year’s winner Period. End of Sentence, which also had an inspiring message of female empowerment. This pick feels very safe.
ANIMATED SHORT FILM: Hair Love
The animated shorts aren’t usually this sad. With the emotional gut punch of Sister, the dark, chaotic animation of Daughter, and the rising despair of Memorable, this year was full of dark animation. But per usual, the American animations took a strong lead with Hair Love and Kitbull.
Leading the pack is Hair Love, a deeply human story with comedy, heart, and an uplifting ending. Pixar’s Kitbull could upset, but Pixar tends to win when it does something more inventive or original than we saw this year. In the end, Hair Love tells the most original story from a diverse perspective, uses its animation more creatively than Kitbull, and ultimately will be more relatable to voters.
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM: The Neighbors’ Window
This category always feels like the hardest. This is probably in no small part because not all voters watch the shorts, so their choices are less predictable. A lot of buzz has been going to Brotherhood, a sad and beautifully shot film about a Tunisian father dealing with his son’s return from ISIS. But we’re going with the funny and heartfelt The Neighbors’ Window.
It ticks a few important boxes for us. Comedies don’t tend to win because they’re not taken seriously, but a short that’s too depressing turns off voters. You need that perfect tonal balance that this year we only see in The Neighbors’ Window. It’s funny with a heartfelt message, and sad without getting over the top depressing. The short is also the only one in the category that’s set in America and has known American actors, similar to last year’s winner Skin. It’s an advantage that’s hard to beat because Academy voters will likely remember the actors they know and relate more to the movie set in New York.
While Brotherhood could take it, we think precedence and the overall relatability of The Neighbors’ Window will propel it to victory.
Comments