It's 13:30 on a pretty un-eventful Tuesday, but the whole festival team were crowding around the one computer with speakers to hear the long awaited nominations announcement for the Academy Awards 2012. All the big hitters went by, War Horse, The Artist, Hugo...but we were waiting for something more important that that- the short film and animation nominations!
Despite the fact that the short film and animation nominations (and many others for that matter) do not get the privilege of a live broadcast to millions around the world, we were still delighted to see all the final nominations up live and ready for debate.
So here is the list of nominations selected from a shortlist of 107 films:
Short Film (Live Action) Nominations:
"Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
Irish actor Peter McDonald's directorial debut, Pentecost is the story of a young boy who has to balance his role as an altar boy with his passion for football. Funded through the Irish Film Board’s Signature scheme, the film stars Andrew Bennett, Michael McElhatton and Don Wycherley. Of the nomination McDonald told the Irishtimes.com “I’m really proud of Pentecost and everyone’s work on it,” said McDonald. “It is an Irish story produced by a full Irish cast and crew with funding from the Irish Film Board. The film I had in my head is the film that I made and . . . that doesn’t happen unless you have a talented cast and crew . . . I hope that the nomination will create new opportunities for all involved. It is great that the film has connected at such a universal level.”
"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
Created by Graduates from the University of Hamburg, the film recently picked up the Bronze medal in the Foreign Film category of the 38 Student Academy Awards. A good sign you might think, but once again it will be fighting against its rival Tuba Atlantic who picked up the Gold in the same category. I wonder if they will sit next to each other?
"The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
Another Irishman, Terry George, raised in Belfast, receives the honour for a drama entitled The Shore. This is George’s third Oscar nomination; he was also shortlisted for his scripts for Hotel Rwanda, which he also directed, and for Jim Sheridan’s In the Name of the Father. Of the nomination George told the BBC, “What’s special about this is that it is a tiny little film we made, with my family and the people of Killough, Co Down . . . taking it to the Oscars is an amazing achievement.”
"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
The only US nomination, the film follows a neurotic inventor as he hopes to correct his past mistakes by creating a time machine. Festival screenings have included official Selection AFI Festival, Cleveland Film Festival, Florida Film Festival, Cinequest, and Omaha Film Festival.
Tuba Atlantic Teaser from Hallvar Witzø on Vimeo.
"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø
This Norwegian film may be the one to beat, having recently been awarded the Gold medal in the Foreign Film category of the Student Academy Awards. A good sign, since the 2010 Academy Award winner for best short film God of Love also won a Gold medal at the previous Student Oscars.
Short Animation Nominations:
Dimanche / Sunday (trailer) from doiion on Vimeo.
"Dimanche/Sunday" by Patrick Doyon
Screened at Animated Encounters 2011 this film tells the story of a small boy's Sunday which is filled with both ordinary and extraordinary events.
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
A short animation that has already done well on the festival circuit this little gem even has an app! Deemed by Apple as one of the "top 5 new Apps for the iPad" this App will have you immersed in the story of Morris, who finds comfort in stories and devotes his life to books when all else is lost. The app may be cool, however it's the film that is up for the nomination so we shall see.
"La Luna" by Enrico Casarosa
Pixar, whose excellence in animation meant it was responsible for the Academy's decision to create an animated feature category of its own, has also picked up many awards in the short category. La Luna is its most recent creation, a wistful coming of age fable from Director Enrico Casarosa (promoted to head of story after working on "Cars 2," "Up", "Ratatouille," and "Cars"). Inspired by Italo Calvino's story about building a ladder to the moon, "The Distance of the Moon," "La Luna" concerns a young boy who rows out to sea in an old wooden boat with his bickering Papa and Grandpa, unaware that they are about to embark on an exciting lunar adventure.
"A Morning Stroll" by Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
A strange (and perhaps true) story about a New Yorker, this animation is straight out of London by animator Grant Orchard at Studio AKA. This short animated film has been gradually moving upwards since its screening at Animated Encounters last November. Firstly picking up a BAFTA nomination for best animated short, then an Oscar nomination and today we hear its won the best animated short film at Sundance! Obviously this award will be sat neatly beside its Animated Encounters award for best British Animation, that goes without saying. Best of luck to Grant and the bunch at Studio AKA, and check out an excellent article by Grant on what it means to be an animator in the Huffintonpost.com
"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
This not the first nomination for Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, who have recieved previous nominations for When the Day Breaks in 1999. This is a story of a young Englishman with more enthusiasm than practical experience who emigrates to Canada to become a rancher. Wild Life recently won the 2011 Canadian Film Institute (CFI) Award for Best Canadian Animation at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
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