BONSAI FILMS in association with ShortsTV will be releasing the 19th annual Oscar® Nominated Short Films from 22 Feb at 37 cinema locations nationally with sessions that will be staggered through to early March.
The release – only to screen in cinemas – will contain all of the short films nominated in the categories of Best Live Action, Best Animated and Best Documentary Short Film.
This will be the sole opportunity for Australian audiences to view all of the short film nominees before the 96th Academy Awards® ceremony on Sunday, March 10, 2024. (Monday March 11 Australian time).
As the Academy Awards approach their centenary, it’s worth noting that short films have played a role in the ceremony almost since its inception. While for the press the spotlight often gravitates toward the feature categories, for those immersed in the world of short films the announcement of the nominees remains an annual highlight.
This year’s Oscar Nominated Short Films promise an unparalleled variety of storytelling brilliance. More than ever before, they showcase not only a rich range of themes but also a significant increase in diversity, from female representation to the emerging international filmmakers from around the globe.
Women directors, producers and writers within the short film categories have taken centre stage like never before, as evidenced by the majority of the directors in this year’s Best Animated category being women. From captivating narratives to thought-provoking themes, the 2024 line-up celebrates the world’s finest short films.
LETTER TO A PIG (2022)
Director: Tal Kantor
Synopsis: A Holocaust survivor reads a letter he wrote to the pig who saved his life.
Country of Origin: France, Israel
TRT: 17 minutes
NINETY-FIVE SENSES (2023)
Director: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess
Synopsis: An ode to the body’s five senses delivered by a man with little time left to enjoy them.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 13 minutes
OUR UNIFORM (2023)
Director: Yegane Moghaddam
Synopsis: An Iranian girl unfolds her school memories on the wrinkles and fabrics of her old uniform.
Country of Origin: IRAN
TRT: 7 minutes
PACHYDERME (2022)
Director: Stéphanie Clément
Synopsis: As every summer, Louise is entrusted to her grand-parents for a few days of vacation in the country. The green grass of the garden, the swimming in the lake, the fishing with Grandpa, everything seems as sweet as Grandma’s strawberry pies. Yet this year, the snow will fall in summer and a monster will die.
Country of Origin: France
TRT: 11 minutes
WAR IS OVER! INSPIRED BY THE MUSIC OF JOHN AND YOKO (2023) –
Director: Dave Mullins
Synopsis: Set in an alternate WWI reality where a senseless war rages on, two soldiers on opposite sides of the conflict play a joyful game of chess. A heroic carrier pigeon delivers the soldiers’ chess moves over the battlefield as the fighting escalates.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 11 minutes
*This year’s program will include two “Highly Commended” animation films:
I’M HIP (2023) –
Director: John Musker
Synopsis: A self absorbed cat, in a jazzy song and dance, proclaims his “hipness” to the world. The world is less impressed.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 4 minutes
WILD SUMMON (2023) –
Director: Karni Arieli and Saul Freed
Synopsis: A natural history fantasy film, following the dramatic life cycle of the wild salmon in human form. Narrated by Marianne Faithfull.
Country of Origin: UK
TRT: 14 minutes
LIVE ACTION SHORTS (Estimated Running Time: 139 minutes)
INVINCIBLE (2022)
Director: Vincent René-Lortie
Synopsis: Inspired by a true story, Invincible recounts the last 48 hours in the life of Marc-Antoine Bernier, a 14-year-old boy on a desperate quest for freedom.
Country of Origin: Canada
TRT: 30 minutes
KNIGHT OF FORTUNE (2023)
Director: Lasse Lyskjær Noer
Synopsis: The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin, that is too much for Karl to face.
Country of Origin: Denmark
TRT: 25 minutes
RED, WHITE AND BLUE (2023) –
Director: Nazrin Choudhury
Synopsis: Rachel (Brittany Snow) is a single parent living paycheck to paycheck. When an unexpected pregnancy threatens to unravel her already precarious position, she’s forced to cross state lines in search of an abortion.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 23 minutes
THE AFTER (2023) –
Director: Misan Harriman
Synopsis: In this intense short film, a grieving rideshare driver picks up a passenger who helps him confront the past.
Country of Origin: UK
TRT: 18 minutes
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR (2023)
Director: Wes Anderson
Synopsis: Chronicles a variety of stories, but the main one follows Henry Sugar, who is able to see through objects and predict the future with the help of a book he stole.
Country of Origin: UK, USA
TRT: 37 minutes
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS (Estimated Running Time: 140 minutes)
ISLAND IN BETWEEN (2023)
Director: S. Leo Chiang
Synopsis: S. Leo Chiang reflects on his relationship with Taiwan, the United States and China from the islands of Kinmen, just a few miles from mainland China.
Country of Origin: Taiwan, USA
TRT: 20 minutes
Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (2023)
Director: Sean Wang
Synopsis: Nǎi Nai is my grandma. Wài Pó is also my grandma. Together, they are a grandma super team that dances, stretches, and farts their sorrows away.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 16 minutes
THE ABCS OF BOOK BANNING (2023)
Director: Sheila Nevins
Synopsis: Over 2000 books have been removed from school districts in the U.S. THE ABCS OF BOOK BANNING follows the human toll the future will pay for depriving children of their right to read and learn about a complex world. Interviews with children and authors shed light on this ongoing dangerous precedent.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 27 minutes
THE BARBER OF LITTLE ROCK (2023)
Director: John Hoffman, Christine Turner
Synopsis: The Barber of Little Rock explores America’s widening racial wealth gap through the story of Arlo Washington, a local barber whose visionary approach to a just economy can be found in the mission of People Trust, the nonprofit community bank he founded.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 35 minutes
THE LAST REPAIR SHOP (2023)
Director: Kris Bowers, Ben Proudfoot
Synopsis: Tells the story of four unassuming heroes who ensure no student is deprived of the joy of music. It is also a reminder of how music can be the best medicine, stress reliever and even an escape from poverty.
Country of Origin: USA
TRT: 39 minutes
