Wow! This year’s Oscar nominees for Live Action Short Subject are all worthy of global recognition. It’s one of the best selections of films in recent years. That said, three of the nominees involve intense children topics, two involve racial violence and one involves end of life sexual acceptance. Talk about tough material to watch and absorb?!
Enjoy. J&J
Oscar Nominated Live Action, Short Subject
Detainment/Ireland
This true story set in Liverpool, England is difficult to watch when a pair of 10 year old boys are part of an astounding crime against a toddler. The story is often intense. This short subject film feels like an eternity. It’s an incredible story condensed to 30 minutes.
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Fauve/Canada
This 17 minute film takes place in a Quebec “surface mine” so huge and bleak its visual presence itself is other worldly. Nonetheless two young adolescent boys are drawn to a soft hole in the surface. What begins as two boys rough housing around turns into a life threatening event. The film is haunting, unnerving and heartbreaking. French with English subtitles.
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Madre/Spain
This 19 minute film opened the show. The mother, along with her mom receives a telephone call from her six year old son who’s vacationing with the ex-husband in France. Her son is lost, cannot find his father and begins to panic. The mom tries to calm her son and tries to gather information that might help her help her son. The film ends in angst as the child’s cell phone battery dies. Spanish with English subtitles.
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Marguerite/Canada
Here is another 19 minute film about an elderly woman and her daily caregiver. It’s a charming and sensitive end of life experience story. It’s the only entry by a woman Director, French-Canadian Marianne Farley. The on screen chemistry between the two actors is powerful, concurrently heart warming and heart wrenching.
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Skin/USA
This was the most disturbing film of the day. A family of skinheads is led by the tattooed alpha male who clearly loves his family. While shopping for groceries at a supermarket, the young son has a casual contact with a friendly African American man. This brief exchange leads to a horrid act of racism. The ending is extremely difficult to watch. It carries a powerful message for all. The run time is 20 minutes.
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