I swear I'm not dead. I will confess that I haven't updated this page since Hair Love won the Academy Awards literally over a year ago. I've had some ideas for posts (such as counting down my favorite Studio Ghibli films), but with moving and getting a new job that is much busier than my old one and getting into Animal Crossing New Horizons, I haven't had much motivation to do much writing. I guess that is why I will never be much of an animation blogger.
But now is no longer the time for procrastination. The global coronavirus pandemic has pushed the Academy Awards back by two full months, but the Academy has continued their recent tradition of releasing shortlists of finalists for certain categories, including Best Animated Short. The release of the shortlist is two months later than usual, but like years past I will introduce each of the ten shortlisted films, stopping short of a full review.
As with most years, the shortlist has a combination of big studio films and independent films, both American and foreign. The biggest difference is that with most theaters closed due to the coronavirus, many of the films have been more accessible through streaming services, which certainly helps.
Genius Loci
Genius Loci is a term based in ancient Rome referring to a protective spirit for a location. Thanks to a poem by 18th century British poet Alexander Pope, Genius Loci came to refer to the atmosphere of a particular location instead of the guardian spirit. Genius Loci is also a film by Adrien Merigeau that explores both of these definition. According to the film's website, the film is about a young girl who "sees among the urban chaos a moving oneness that seems alive, like some sort of guide." The trailer makes it seem something that's somewhat intangible and avant garde, a film reminiscent of Coda or Symphony 42, both of which were on the shortlist in 2014 but failed to get a nomination. I suppose I'll get a better idea if I actually see it.
If Anything Happens I Love You
Netflix has come a long way since their early days as a DVD shipping service over 20 years ago. They became one of the earliest digital subscription streaming service, and soon turned to acquiring distribution rights for original films that could in turn become Oscar players, starting with What Happened Miss Simone and Winter on Fire, both of which got nominations for Best Documentary Feature in 2015. They soon got films such as American Factory a Best Documentary Feature win and The Irishman in the Best Picture race. And now they have gotten a film in the race for the most important category of all: Best Animated Short. If Anything Happens I Love You is a strong, emotional work using a limited palette to tell a powerful story. The less I say about the story the better. You should just watch it.
Kapaemahu
Hawaii is well known as the 50th (and so far final) state in the United States, and the only state that exists as an archipelago, several time zones away from the continental United States. Of course, even before it was engulfed into the American structure it was its own thriving kingdom and carries with it the legends of their people. One of these was the legend of the Kapaemahu, about four great healers that had come to Hawaii from Tahiti that took on the role of the "mahu," gender-fluid individuals that possess great wisdom. Their exploits were commemorated in four large boulders, which were uncovered early in the 20th century. The legends of the stones were eventually also uncovered, but seemed to be overshadowed by discussions of what to do with the stones as well as debates over the gender implications of the mahu. Meanwhile their significance became somewhat lost, until Kapaemahu the film was made to tell it.
Opera
The Dam Keeper was one of the top animated short films in 2014. It received a Best Animated Short nomination, and it became extremely popular in Asia, where it became a sort of a media franchise that allowed Tonko House to exist as an independent animation studio. Directors Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi were the most notable figures in the making of The Dam Keeper, but the film also couldn't have happened without their former Pixar colleague Erick Oh, who served as the supervising animator. He had since left Pixar and has made a few spinoff films based off of The Dam Keeper, but with Opera he has created his most ambitious film, an 8K film about the human condition. I'm still not sure what the film is about, and I can't even fathom how a film in 8K will look, but it's certainly something worth thinking about.
Out
Out is the other SparkShorts from Pixar to make it onto the shortlist, and needless to say it's hard to imagine that it will be as universally beloved as Burrow. It tells the story of a gay man named Greg and his efforts to keep his homosexuality from his parents, especially his father who is very much in the mold of the "macho man." The director, Steven Clay Hunter, is gay and wanted to tell the story of so many people within the LGBTQ community. It was heart-warming and well received by those in the LGBTQ community. However, there is also another group that isn't so receptive of homosexuality, so of course there has been a pushback, which is quite a shame because this film is quite good. You can watch it for yourself on Disney Plus.
The Snail and the Whale
The Gruffalo was a short film based off of a storybook by British author Julia Donaldson. It was released in the US in 2010 and received an Oscar nomination. While it didn't win, its success helped directors Max Lang and Jakob Schuh create more films through the London-based animation company Magic Light Pictures. Those films generally follow a similar formula, They are based on storybooks by either Donaldson or another British author Roald Dahl, with a pleasing CGi animation style reminiscent of the illustrations by frequent Donaldson collaborator Axel Scheffler., and stretched out long enough to be a 30-minute special on BBC. The formula had helped the group to additional Oscar nominations for Room on the Broom and Revolting Rhymes. With The Snail and the Whale, another Donaldson adaptation, they're hoping for another chance at Oscar glory. This film was on Apple TV+, but it seems to have been removed. You can still watch it on the BBC Player.
To: Gerard
Dreamworks Animation has been a major force on the animation stage since their stunning debut in 1998 with Antz and The Prince of Egypt, the latter of which captured Best Original Song for the theme "When You Believe." Three years later, Shrek became the very first winner in the Best Animated Feature category, and they have been nominated several times since. However, unlike Pixar who got their starts in short films, DreamWorks Animation's shorts program had always seemed somewhat lacking. Most of their shorts were spinoffs from their theatrical film. It wasn't until 2017 that DreamWorks really made an effort to create a specialized shorts program. Their first two shorts Bird Karma and Bilby were both on the shortlist, although they both fell short of a nomination. Their latest effort To: Gerard, seems to harken back to traditional storytelling formula, but one with the warmth and magic that one would expect from a Pixar film. It is available for streaming on Peacock TV.
Traces
The Chauvet Cave in France is home to some of the most famous cave paintings in the world. The dynamic sketches are remarkable not only for its vividness but also for the diverse selection of beings, with everything from horses to bison to cave lions. Like most cave paintings, little is known about the people that had left behind such magnificent work of art. Traces is a French production that attempts to answer these questions, using a sand on glass technique that create a style very much similar to the ones found in the cave drawings. It is a vivid work not only for the style but also for the violence. Unfortunately the version I was able to find didn't have any subtitles, so here's hoping I can give a better review if it does get a nomination.
Yes People
Iceland is a fascinating little country whose culture has evolved from the Nordic tradition of the people that settled there. However, Icelandic animation hasn't quite gained a stronghold in the United States like that of most of the rest of Europe. However, this year we get an Icelandic film on the shortlist. It seems to be about the mundanities of everyday life and the effects that it places on people. Whatever footage I found seems to suggest that it has a very staccato style that would heighten anxiety. I requested a screener from Magnet Films. We'll see if it actually works. It would probably help more if I wasn't a pathetic blogger.
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Well, these are the shortlisted films. As usual, Cartoon Brew is none too pleased at the selection. I've only managed to get my hands on seven of the shortlisted films, but I've enjoyed what I've seen. From studying the picks of the Academy it is clear that the Academy values storytelling as much as artistic merits. Does it mean that I feel qualified to predict the nominees? Heck no. I've given up predicting the nominees because I've done so poorly at predicting them. I'm just hoping that we can get the last three shortlisted films somehow before the nominations are announced in like a month.
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