Top 2023 Oscar Nominated short films, there were 15 short films competing in three award categories: animated, live action, and documentary. Here are the titles and countries of origin of each film:
Animated Short Films
- An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It (Australia)
- Ice Merchants (Portugal, United Kingdom, France)
- My Year of Dicks (USA)
- The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (UK) 🏆
- The Flying Sailor (Canada)
Live Action Short Films
- An Irish Goodbye (Ireland) 🏆
- Ivalu (Denmark)
- Le Pupille (Italy, USA)
- Night Ride (Norway)
- The Red Suitcase (Luxembourg)
Documentary Short Films
- Haulout (UK)
- How Do You Measure a Year? (USA)
- Stranger at the Gate (USA)
- The Elephant Whisperers (India) 🏆
- The Martha Mitchell Effect (USA)
The winners are marked with a trophy emoji. You can watch some of these films online on various streaming platforms or YouTube. If you want to know more about any of them, just ask me in comments below. 😊
Top 2023 Oscar Nominated Short Films – Reviews, Storyline
An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It (Australia): A young telemarketer uncovers the flaws in his stop-motion universe with the help of a mysterious talking ostrich. He must put aside his dwindling toaster sales and focus on convincing his colleagues of his terrifying discovery
Ice Merchants (Portugal, United Kingdom, France): Every day, a father and his son jump with a parachute from their vertiginous cold house, attached to a cliff, to go to the village on the ground, far away where they sell the ice they produce daily. They face a tragedy when their house breaks away from the cliff and they have to jump without a parachute
My Year of Dicks (USA): A 15-year-old girl is determined to lose her virginity in the Houston suburbs in the early ’90s. She encounters various boys and men who try to take advantage of her, but she remains hopeful and resilient
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (UK): Based on the best-selling children’s book by Charlie Mackesy, this film is about the unlikely bond between a young boy and his animal friends. They embark on a journey of discovery and adventure, learning about life, love, and friendship along the way
The Flying Sailor (Canada): A sailor survives the 1917 Halifax explosion, when two ships collided during World War I, sending him flying into the air. He witnesses the devastation and horror of the blast, but also finds moments of beauty and hope
An Irish Goodbye (Ireland): Estranged brothers reunite following their mother’s untimely death and complete her bucket list. They travel across Ireland, fulfilling her wishes and reconnecting with each other. They also learn more about their mother’s life and secrets
Ivalu (Denmark): Based on the Danish graphic novel of the same name, this film follows the search for a missing child in Greenland. A police officer teams up with a local hunter to track down the kidnapper, who may be connected to a mysterious cult
Le Pupille (Italy, USA): Set during World War II at a religious girls’ boarding school in Italy, this film tells the story of a young girl who discovers that she has a special gift: she can see through the eyes of others. She uses her power to help her friends and teachers, but also faces danger from the Nazis
Night Ride (Norway): One cold night in December, Ebba waits for the tram to go home after a party. She meets a friendly stranger who offers her a ride on his motorcycle. She accepts, but soon realizes that he may have ulterior motives. She has to decide whether to trust him or escape
The Red Suitcase (Luxembourg): A 16-year-old Iranian girl, Ariane, is at Luxembourg Airport with her parents, who are planning to send her back to Iran against her will. She decides to take off her hijab and run away from them, causing a commotion and attracting attention from security guards and other passengers. She has to find a way out of the airport and start a new life
Haulout (UK): This documentary follows a group of elephant seals as they haul out on an Antarctic beach for their annual breeding season. The film captures their behavior, interactions, challenges, and emotions as they compete for mates, raise their pups, and survive in harsh conditions.
How Do You Measure a Year? (USA): This documentary chronicles the lives of six New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It shows how they cope with lockdowns, isolation, loss, uncertainty, and hope as they try to make sense of an unprecedented year.
Stranger at the Gate (USA): This documentary tells the story of a gay Mormon couple who struggle to reconcile their faith and sexuality. They face discrimination, rejection, and violence from their church and community, but also find support and love from their families and friends. They also share their experiences of conversion therapy, suicide attempts, and activism.
The Elephant Whisperers (India): This documentary follows a team of mahouts (elephant trainers) in Kerala, India, who use a gentle and compassionate method of training elephants. They form a strong bond with their elephants, treating them as family members and respecting their intelligence and emotions. They also face challenges such as poaching, habitat loss, and human-elephant conflicts.
The Martha Mitchell Effect (USA): This documentary explores the life and legacy of Martha Mitchell, the outspoken wife of President Nixon’s attorney general John Mitchell. She was one of the first whistleblowers of the Watergate scandal, but she was also dismissed as a paranoid and unstable woman by the media and the public. The film examines how her story was distorted and silenced, and how her mental health was used against her.
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