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Don’t forget about the short films at the Academy Awards

(WISH) — The 91st Academy Awards recognized 37 feature films in 21 categories. However, there are three more categories that seem to get overlooked each year by the public.  

A short film is an original motion picture of 40 minutes or less, and the Oscars recognize three categories: Animated Short, Live Action and Documentary (Short Subject). 

Check your local theaters for showtimes of the 2019 Oscar Nominated Short Films. 

Here’s a breakdown of this year’s contenders: 

Animated Short

“Animal Behaviour” (14 minutes) 
Dr. Clement, a compassionate dog, holds therapy sessions for five animals dealing with their everyday nature, including a female praying mantis killing the male during mating season, a pig unable to control his appetite, and the newest attendee, a gorilla with anger management issues.

This Canadian entry is clever and comical as Dr. Clement does his best to prevent ensuing chaos. 

“Bao” (8 minutes) 
Pixar is going for its fourth win in 14 nominations for this short airing ahead of Incredibles 2. A Chinese Canadian mother prepares a meal of baozi dumplings for her and her husband and is shocked to see one of the dumplings come to life.

The premise may sound bizarre, but the cultural significance and symbolism displayed should resonate with most audiences. 

“Late Afternoon” (10 minutes) 
Already a winner at last year’s Irish Film & Television Awards, “Late Afternoon” shows an elderly woman with dementia trying to relive her past through her reflection.

This could be the sentimental favorite amongst voters. 

“One Small Step” (8 minutes) 
This silent entry is a feel-good journey about following your dreams. Luna is determined to be an astronaut and has always received unwavering support from her hard-working father to reach for the stars. 

“Weekends” (16 minutes) 
Director/writer Trevor Jimenez pulls from his own childhood experiences in his silent animated short. A young boy must deal with the repercussions of his parents’ divorce, living with his mother during the week and his father on weekends. 

Live Action

“Detainment” (30 minutes) 
Director/writer Vincent Lambe is trying to capitalize on the current popularity of murder-themed documentaries and specials with a retelling of the murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. However, Denise Fergus, James’ mother, has been highly outspoken about “Detainment,” claiming it portrays the two 10-year-old killers too positively and was never asked or involved in the production of the short film.

A petition requesting it be removed from contention has reached over 100,000 signatures.  

“Fauve” (16 minutes) 
This French Canadian short film starts as an adventure for two young boys, turning from fun and games to highly dangerous in seconds in an isolated pit mine. Your heart will race as Mother Nature seems to be the boys’ only observer.  

“Maurgerite” (19 minutes) 
Perhaps the most watchable of the bunch is this Canadian French short, centering on an elderly woman exploring and accepting her past desires as she learns more about her home care nurse. 

“Mother” (19 minutes) 
How can you help your son when you are in a different country? A mother receives an alarming call from her six-year-old son, who is lost on a beach in France while on vacation with his father.

This Spanish entry will leave you on the edge of your seat, praying for a miracle. 

“Skin” (20 minutes) 
A friendly, harmless smile between a 10-year-old white boy and an African-American man results in hate-filled gang violence in this action-packed, violent short film. 

Documentary (Short Subject)

“Black Sheep” (27 minutes) 
Cornelius Walker reflects on moving from London to Essex following the killing of a 10-year-old Nigerian boy. As Walker narrates, the events are recreated for dramatic effect, and he realizes his new estate is run by a racist gang and must go to drastic measures to survive. 

“End Game” (40 minutes)
Emotional and filled with questions, Netflix’s “End Game” introduces medical practitioners at a San Francisco hospital, who work alongside patients and families in alleviating fears of death. 

“Lifeboat” (34 minutes) 
Have I mentioned how emotionally powerful this year’s Documentary (Short Subject) nominees are? Volunteers from a German non-profit must risk their lives and the dangerous Mediterranean Sea to rescue Libyan refugees, who are escaping poverty, sex trafficking, and persecution in Northern Africa. 

“A Night at the Garden” (7 minutes) 
The shortest of all 15 nominees is haunting archival footage of a Nazi rally taking place at Madison Square Garden in 1939. 20,000 Americans gathered to listen to Fritz Kuhn, the leader of the German American Bund, explain the powers of anti-Semitism.

“Period. End of Sentence.” (26 minutes) 
It’s easy to forget how privileged we are in the United States with our hygiene needs. “Period. End of Sentence.” powerfully displays the unity and revolution of a group women outside of Delhi, India, who come up with a solution for supplying proper female hygiene products and the taboo surrounding menstruation.