The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Short Films and Feature Animation Branch reviewing committee is advancing 10 animated short films to be voted on by the branch for Oscar nominations. Fifty-eight pictures had originally qualified in the category. While Disney frontrunner "Feast," from Patrick Osborne, is on the shortlist, and Bill Plympton has two shorts in contention, shockingly, Pixar's "Lava" (James Ford) did not make the cut. What gives? The Academy confirms that it was eligible. It's delightful. This will mark an unusual year with no Pixar Oscar nominee, as they did not release a 2014 feature. Also left off the list were fest favorites "Baths" (Tomek Ducki), "Me + Her" (Joseph Oxford), "Nieta" (Nicolas Villarreal) and "Padre" (Santiago Bou Grasso). The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies: “The Bigger...
- 11/6/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Abu Dhabi Film Festival announces winners of Emirates Film Competition and International Short Film CompetitionScroll down for full list of winners
Abu Dhabi Film Festival has unveiled the winners of the Emirates Film Competition and the International Short Film Competition
At a ceremony in Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace, where the festival is based, the top award in the short narrative competition went to Shahad Ameen’s Eye & Mermaid, which also won best cinematography.
The 14-minute film centres on 10-year-old Hanan, who lives in a fishing village on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula and tries to discover the origin of the black pearls that her father brings back from his nighttime fishing trips.
The Best Emirati Film award went to Nayla Al Khaja’s The Neighbour, an 18-minute film about a woman who moves to Dubai to make a fresh start and befriends an elderly neighbour
The award for Best Script went to Cholo, while the first...
Abu Dhabi Film Festival has unveiled the winners of the Emirates Film Competition and the International Short Film Competition
At a ceremony in Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace, where the festival is based, the top award in the short narrative competition went to Shahad Ameen’s Eye & Mermaid, which also won best cinematography.
The 14-minute film centres on 10-year-old Hanan, who lives in a fishing village on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula and tries to discover the origin of the black pearls that her father brings back from his nighttime fishing trips.
The Best Emirati Film award went to Nayla Al Khaja’s The Neighbour, an 18-minute film about a woman who moves to Dubai to make a fresh start and befriends an elderly neighbour
The award for Best Script went to Cholo, while the first...
- 10/31/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Computer animation has swept Hollywood studios, but there is some impressive non-digital innovation happening on the outskirts of the industry. Count Joseph Oxford among the newest innovators. The filmmaker's short, “Me + Her,” is one of 12 selections to TheWrap's ShortList Film Festival, based on the strength of its incredibly detailed cardboard puppet animation, as well as the depth that he is able to give its very flat characters. “I made a very rudimentary version of one of the puppet heads back in 2008 with scrap materials on my desk,” Oxford explained to TheWrap. I really liked the design and wanted to...
- 8/21/2014
- by Jordan Zakarin
- The Wrap
The third annual ShortList Film Festival, which runs through August 27, 2014 just announced the 12 finalists.
The 12 finalists include shorts prize winners from the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, the La Film Festival, Tribeca, Aspen, Clermont-Ferrand and other prestigious festivals. The films and filmmakers come from the United States, Mexico, Mozambique, Germany, Brazil and elsewhere around the globe.
All films are available now through August 27 for online voting Here. The shorts will also air on the Epix network August 24 at 6pm Et/3pm Pt and again in Epix’s Drive-In on August 25 12midnight Et/August 24 9pm Pt.
Two winners will each receive $5,000 cash prizes, the Audience Prize sponsored by YouTube and the Industry Prize sponsored by Epix at an awards ceremony on August 28 at the YouTube Space Los Angeles.
The Industry Prize winner, chosen by a jury of independent film experts, will also receive a pitch meeting at Paramount Pictures, MGM or Lionsgate to pitch their next project. The Audience Prize winner determined by popular vote will also receive the use of the YouTube Space for their next project.
Each winner will receive the opportunity to consult with the independent movie studio Cinedigm.
The Shortlist is proudly sponsored by Cinedigm, Epix, MTV and YouTube. It is presented by The Wrap and programmed by Nancy Collet.
Here are the finalists in three categories:
Animation
"Eager"
Directed by: Allison Schulnik
USA, 8 Minutes
A rhythmic ritual is performed by a bizarre ensemble of macabre figures.
Special Jury Recognition, South by Southwest ’14
"Macropolis"
Directed by: Joel Simon
UK, 8 Minutes
Two discarded toys find a new lease of life in a big alien city full of humans.
Family Choice Award, Ashland International Film Festival ‘ 14
"Me + Her"
Directed by: Joseph Oxford
USA, 13 Minutes
When Jack and Jill of Cardboard City are separated by Jill's untimely death, Jack goes on a journey to mend his (literally) broken heart.
Best Animated Short, Aspen Shortfest ’14
Narrative Fiction
"The Gunfighter"
Directed by: Eric Kissack
USA, 9 Minutes
A gunfighter in the old West starts off a chain reaction when the voiceover announcing his entrance to a saloon proceeds to give a laundry list of the town’s deepest secrets.
Audience Award, Los Angeles Film Festival ‘14
"My Friend Nietzsche"
Directed by: Fáuston da Silva
Brazil, 15 Minutes
The improbable meeting between Lucas and Nietzsche will be the beginning of a violent revolution.
Audience Award, Clermont-Ferrand Iff '14
"Noah"
Directed by: Patrick Cederberg; Walter Woodman
Canada, 18 Minutes
A relationship steeped in social media and told through the lens of Noah’s computer screen.
Best Short Film, Toronto International Film Festival ’13
"Off Ground"
Directed by: Boudewijn Koole
Germany, 13 Minutes
A dance film about a boy that says farewell to his mother.
Audience Awards, Netherlands International Film Festival ’14
"The Phone Call"
Directed by: Matt Kirby
UK, 19 Minutes
When a shy lady (Sally Hawkins) who works in a suicide helpline call center takes a phone call from a distraught man (Jim Broadbendt), she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.
Best Narrative Short, Tribeca ’14
"A Tropical Sunday"
Directed by: Fabian Ribezzo
Mozambique/Italy, 15 Minutes
It's Sunday and crowds of eager children line up for rides at the fairground. Among them are four street kids, who have spent the week begging and scavenging. Today all they want is to feel like children again.
Best Drama, Aspen Shortsfest ‘14
"Verbatim"
Directed by: Brett Weiner
USA, 7 Minutes
A jaded lawyer wastes an afternoon trying to figure out if a dim-witted government employee has ever used a photocopier. All the dialogue comes from an actual legal deposition.
Best Short Film, Dallas International Film Festival ’14
"Not It (Zafo)"
Directed by: Pablo Orta
Mexico, 5 Minutes
An afternoon with a group of young boys who draw straws to see who will perform a grim task
Best Short Film, Guadalajara International Film Festival ’14
Documentary
"The Silly Bastard Next to the Bed"
Directed by: Scott Calonico
UK, 9 Minutes
JFK places a salty call to his staff, questioning a potentially embarrassing expenditure.
Audience Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival ’14
The 2014 festival is programmed by Nancy Collet.
About The ShortList:
The ShortList (http://shortlistfilmfestival.com ) represents the best of the best of filmmaking in the format that young filmmakers and enthusiasts use most often: shorts. The ShortList showcases 12 award-winning short films hand-picked from world’s top film festivals of the past year. An Audience Award is chosen by viewers’ online votes and a Jury Prize is chosen by the Industry jury, a six-person panel of veteran independent film professionals. Winning films will be announced at a special live event on August 28 in Los Angeles and will air on the Epix network.
About The Wrap News Inc.:
The Wrap News Inc., founded by award-winning journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009, is the leading digital news organization covering the business of entertainment and media. As a multi-platform media company, The Wrap News Inc. is comprised of TheWrap.com, the award-winning, industry-leading outlet for high-profile newsbreaks, investigative stories and authoritative analysis; PowerGrid Pro, the most current, relevant film development database; and TheGrill, an executive leadership conference centered on the convergence of entertainment, media and technology. The Wrap News, Inc. is backed by Maveron, a venture capital firm based in Seattle, Washington and co-founded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Dan Levitan.
The 12 finalists include shorts prize winners from the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, the La Film Festival, Tribeca, Aspen, Clermont-Ferrand and other prestigious festivals. The films and filmmakers come from the United States, Mexico, Mozambique, Germany, Brazil and elsewhere around the globe.
All films are available now through August 27 for online voting Here. The shorts will also air on the Epix network August 24 at 6pm Et/3pm Pt and again in Epix’s Drive-In on August 25 12midnight Et/August 24 9pm Pt.
Two winners will each receive $5,000 cash prizes, the Audience Prize sponsored by YouTube and the Industry Prize sponsored by Epix at an awards ceremony on August 28 at the YouTube Space Los Angeles.
The Industry Prize winner, chosen by a jury of independent film experts, will also receive a pitch meeting at Paramount Pictures, MGM or Lionsgate to pitch their next project. The Audience Prize winner determined by popular vote will also receive the use of the YouTube Space for their next project.
Each winner will receive the opportunity to consult with the independent movie studio Cinedigm.
The Shortlist is proudly sponsored by Cinedigm, Epix, MTV and YouTube. It is presented by The Wrap and programmed by Nancy Collet.
Here are the finalists in three categories:
Animation
"Eager"
Directed by: Allison Schulnik
USA, 8 Minutes
A rhythmic ritual is performed by a bizarre ensemble of macabre figures.
Special Jury Recognition, South by Southwest ’14
"Macropolis"
Directed by: Joel Simon
UK, 8 Minutes
Two discarded toys find a new lease of life in a big alien city full of humans.
Family Choice Award, Ashland International Film Festival ‘ 14
"Me + Her"
Directed by: Joseph Oxford
USA, 13 Minutes
When Jack and Jill of Cardboard City are separated by Jill's untimely death, Jack goes on a journey to mend his (literally) broken heart.
Best Animated Short, Aspen Shortfest ’14
Narrative Fiction
"The Gunfighter"
Directed by: Eric Kissack
USA, 9 Minutes
A gunfighter in the old West starts off a chain reaction when the voiceover announcing his entrance to a saloon proceeds to give a laundry list of the town’s deepest secrets.
Audience Award, Los Angeles Film Festival ‘14
"My Friend Nietzsche"
Directed by: Fáuston da Silva
Brazil, 15 Minutes
The improbable meeting between Lucas and Nietzsche will be the beginning of a violent revolution.
Audience Award, Clermont-Ferrand Iff '14
"Noah"
Directed by: Patrick Cederberg; Walter Woodman
Canada, 18 Minutes
A relationship steeped in social media and told through the lens of Noah’s computer screen.
Best Short Film, Toronto International Film Festival ’13
"Off Ground"
Directed by: Boudewijn Koole
Germany, 13 Minutes
A dance film about a boy that says farewell to his mother.
Audience Awards, Netherlands International Film Festival ’14
"The Phone Call"
Directed by: Matt Kirby
UK, 19 Minutes
When a shy lady (Sally Hawkins) who works in a suicide helpline call center takes a phone call from a distraught man (Jim Broadbendt), she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.
Best Narrative Short, Tribeca ’14
"A Tropical Sunday"
Directed by: Fabian Ribezzo
Mozambique/Italy, 15 Minutes
It's Sunday and crowds of eager children line up for rides at the fairground. Among them are four street kids, who have spent the week begging and scavenging. Today all they want is to feel like children again.
Best Drama, Aspen Shortsfest ‘14
"Verbatim"
Directed by: Brett Weiner
USA, 7 Minutes
A jaded lawyer wastes an afternoon trying to figure out if a dim-witted government employee has ever used a photocopier. All the dialogue comes from an actual legal deposition.
Best Short Film, Dallas International Film Festival ’14
"Not It (Zafo)"
Directed by: Pablo Orta
Mexico, 5 Minutes
An afternoon with a group of young boys who draw straws to see who will perform a grim task
Best Short Film, Guadalajara International Film Festival ’14
Documentary
"The Silly Bastard Next to the Bed"
Directed by: Scott Calonico
UK, 9 Minutes
JFK places a salty call to his staff, questioning a potentially embarrassing expenditure.
Audience Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival ’14
The 2014 festival is programmed by Nancy Collet.
About The ShortList:
The ShortList (http://shortlistfilmfestival.com ) represents the best of the best of filmmaking in the format that young filmmakers and enthusiasts use most often: shorts. The ShortList showcases 12 award-winning short films hand-picked from world’s top film festivals of the past year. An Audience Award is chosen by viewers’ online votes and a Jury Prize is chosen by the Industry jury, a six-person panel of veteran independent film professionals. Winning films will be announced at a special live event on August 28 in Los Angeles and will air on the Epix network.
About The Wrap News Inc.:
The Wrap News Inc., founded by award-winning journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009, is the leading digital news organization covering the business of entertainment and media. As a multi-platform media company, The Wrap News Inc. is comprised of TheWrap.com, the award-winning, industry-leading outlet for high-profile newsbreaks, investigative stories and authoritative analysis; PowerGrid Pro, the most current, relevant film development database; and TheGrill, an executive leadership conference centered on the convergence of entertainment, media and technology. The Wrap News, Inc. is backed by Maveron, a venture capital firm based in Seattle, Washington and co-founded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Dan Levitan.
- 8/19/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Director Joseph Oxford and cinematographer Bradley Stonesifer created an imaginary world using cardboard boxes and rubber bands for their animated short film Me + Her. A labor of love that evolved over four years, their work was rewarded when the film was accepted into Sundance’s Short Film program. Oxford has worked in the industry since 2007 in a variety of roles, including production assistant and art director, but Me + Her is his first project as writer and director. Oxford first met cinematographer Stonesifer through a director friend, and they both worked on the film The Vicious Kind in 2008. […]...
- 1/18/2014
- by Michael Murie
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Director Joseph Oxford and cinematographer Bradley Stonesifer created an imaginary world using cardboard boxes and rubber bands for their animated short film Me + Her. A labor of love that evolved over four years, their work was rewarded when the film was accepted into Sundance’s Short Film program. Oxford has worked in the industry since 2007 in a variety of roles, including production assistant and art director, but Me + Her is his first project as writer and director. Oxford first met cinematographer Stonesifer through a director friend, and they both worked on the film The Vicious Kind in 2008. […]...
- 1/18/2014
- by Michael Murie
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
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