ShortsTV continues to make all three of the Oscar-nominated short film programs (animated, live-action, documentary) available to audiences around the world. To find out where you can watch this year’s Oscar-Nominated Short Films, visit their Theatrical Release and On Demand pages.
Live-Action
Let’s hear it for Tunisia! The North African country actually figures in two out of the five films nominated in 2020.
As I do every year, I’ve reviewed and ranked them from my preferred champion to my least favorite. I really enjoyed my top two picks a lot. I would be happy if either of those won. The results will be announced at the Academy Awards on February 9th.
The Neighbor’s Window
USA/20MINS/2019
Director: Marshall Curry
The lives of Alli and her husband are affected when two free-spirited twenty-somethings move into the apartment across from theirs. Large expansive bay windows without curtains conceal nothing. Soon they’re immersed into the daily doings of the couple across the street like a TV show. Actress Maria Dizzia gives an affecting performance as a new mother fascinated by her neighbors’ behavior. This account was based on a true incident that occurred in San Francisco. Few portraits can turn from lighthearted comedy into heartfelt drama on a dime and this does it as beautifully as any I saw last year. A real charmer. I teared up.
Nefta Football Club
FRANCE–TUNISIA/17MINS/2018
Director: Yves Piat
In the south of Tunisia, two young brothers come across a donkey in the desert on the border of Algeria. Strangely, the animal is wearing headphones over its ears. Then they make a discovery. I’ll be honest. I wasn’t really digging this very sober and meandering chronicle at first. Then I was on the edge of my seat fearing the worst. This could’ve gone any number of ways. It sticks the ending. By far the funniest entry this year. The final shot could be enough to actually win this award.
A Sister
BELGIUM/16MINS/2018
Director: Delphine Girard
A woman traveling in the passenger seat of a car is in trouble. She makes a phone call. Tense thriller doesn’t attempt to detail too much but does exactly what a short should. This is a simple concept that extracts anxiety from the audience in an efficient way. I was mesmerized although I had questions. What kidnapper would let his victim make a 16-minute phone call? It also loses points for its similarity to Danish crime thriller The Guilty which did this subject first and did it better.
Brotherhood
CANADA-TUNISIA-QATAR-SWEDEN/25MINS/2018
Director: Meryam Joobeur
The 2nd of two films from Tunisia. This is the apparent frontrunner of the category but I would be shocked if it won. Narratively opaque portrait of a callous shepherd named Mohammed living on a farm in rural Tunisia. His oldest son Malik returns from Syria, with a mysterious new wife covered in a burka. Director Meryam Joobeur doesn’t play fair with the audience purposefully hiding information so we cannot figure out what is going on. The viewer (and father Mohammed ) is led to believe Malik became a radical and joined ISIS. Honestly, if father and son had simply had a conversation the misunderstanding at the heart of this drama could have easily been avoided. Extremely frustrating for its inept depiction of the father’s shameful decision.
Saria
USA/22MINS/2019
Director: Bryan Buckley
This true story dramatizes an appalling event that occurred at the Virgen de La Asuncion Safe Home in Guatemala in 2017. A fire claimed the lives of 41 young women including two friends, Saria and Ximena. This is a shocking violation of human rights. The fact that real-life orphans are playing orphans is more interesting than the film itself. The circumstances surrounding their deaths is clearly a tragedy worth telling so it gets credit for that. However the film’s slick, unemotional presentation doesn’t feel as powerful as it should. When the severity of these events comes across like a cliche, something is wrong. Director Bryan Buckley has helmed over 60 commercials for the Super Bowl since 2000 so the cinematography is stellar. I’ll give it that.
01-29-20