Oscars 2019 Short Film Nominees Full of Human Emotion and Important Isues

"Bao" -  Credit: Pixar.

Days before the Oscars, I had the chance to view some of this year's Oscars nominated short films. I was impressed by their quality, depth and emotion. This year marks the 14th consecutive year of the Oscar® Nominated Short Films theatrical experience. The nominated shorts are full of human emotions ranging from fear, hate, sadness to laughter. The themes that can be seen most common in all of the shorts are racism, death, immigration, loss, aging and relationships. All of these topics are much dear to our hearts.

This is a sneak peak review of the nominated for Oscars 2019 shorts:

ANIMATED SHORT FILM NOMINEES

ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR

Directors: David Fine, Alison Snowden

Country of Origin: Canada 

This animated film is not only funny but it tells the stories of very much known human problems through the eyes of animals who resemble us as humans in such a miraculous way. You can't help but laugh and feel for the animals in this adult themed animation.

BAO

Director: Domee Shi

Country of Origin: United States

This animated short touches on a very deep to our hearts as parents issue - our children leaving the nest. An aging Chinese mom gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings comes to life to find out that life does get better at the end. 

LATE AFTERNOON

Director: Louise Bagnall

Country of Origin: Ireland

This short film was very emotional as it tells the story of an aging old-mother Emily who lives between two states, the past and the present. She searches for a connection within her vivid, but fragmented memories, taking us on a deep emotional journey in appreciating each passing moment in life only to find out what we look for is in front of our eyes. 

ONE SMALL STEP

Directors: Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas

Country of Origin:  United States, China

I absolutely loved this animated short and it is by far one of my most favorite as it makes me appreciate the aging parents a bit more. Luna is a  Chinese American girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut. As Luna grows up, she enters college, facing adversity of all kinds in pursuit of her dreams but ignores the most important person in all of this - her father.

WEEKENDS

Director: Trevor Jimenez

Country of Origin: United States

Weekends is the story of a young boy shuffling between the homes of his recently divorced parents - a story we all know too familiar especially in the US. Surreal dream-like moments mix with the domestic realities of a broken up family in this hand-animated film set in 1980’s Toronto. The film really helps us see through the eyes of the child and helps us think better about our choices as adults. 

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM NOMINEES

BLACK SHEEP

Director: Ed Perkins

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

After the high-profile killing of Damilola Taylor, Cornelius' family move out of London. He finds out that his new place is full of racists and he had to find a way to fit in. This short film is thrilling and completely brutal in its honesty about racism. 

END GAME

Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman

Country of Origin: United States

This documentary deals with the truths about death, families facing the death of loved ones and the decisions whether or not to spend their last days at home or the hospital. This film is a homerun for anyone who has lost a parent, child, friend, and other loved ones. 

LIFEBOAT

Director: Skye Fitzgerald

Country of Origin: United States

Volunteers from a German non-profit risk the waves of the Mediterranean to pluck refugees from sinking rafts pushing off from Libya in the middle of the night.

A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN

Director: Marshall Curry

Country of Origin: United States

In 1939, 20,000 Americans rallied in New York’s Madison Square Garden to celebrate the rise of Nazism – an event largely forgotten from history. 'A Night at the Garden' transports audiences to this chilling gathering and shines a light on the power of demagoguery and anti-Semitism in America.

PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE

Director: Reyka Zehtabchi

Country of Origin: United States

In a rural village outside Delhi, India, women struggle with the taboo topic of menstruation and the hard lives they have to leave because of it. This is a great documentary about finding solutions and helping Indian women fight for their rights. 

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM NOMINEES

DETAINMENT

Director: Vincent Lambe
Country of Origin: Ireland, UK

If anyone remembers the brutal news story of the James Bulger case this film will shake you to the core once again. The tragedy that shook the world years back comes back now as a nominated short film. Two ten-year-old boys are detained by police under suspicion of abducting and murdering a toddler. 

FAUVE

Director: Jeremy Comte

Country of Origin: Canada

Set in a surface mine, two boys play a dangerous game that gets them in trouble with mother nature.

MARGUERITE

Director: Marianne Farley
Country of Origin: Canada

An aging woman and her nurse develop a friendship that brings her back to old memories from the past about forbidden feelings she encounters once again...

MOTHER

Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Country of Origin: Spain

This by far is oen of the most chilling and scarry short films I have seen - the biggest fear of any mother. A single mother receives a call from her seven-year-old son who is on vacation with his father who appears to be lost while he is alone on an unknown beach...

SKIN

Director: Guy Nattiv

Country of Origin: United States
This is my favorite nominated short as it is chilling and has a shocking ending.  It puts a different spin on racism that we are used to seeing and a story that touches everyone. 

These shorts were shown across the world on Feb. 8 on Shorts TV and will be also shown during Oscars week in various days in LA.