When it comes to traditional narrative films, we have reached the final three categories: Best Live Action Short Film, Best International Feature Film, and Best Picture. This is it. The best of the short film circuit, of the world, and of the Academy’s choosing (funny how Best Picture kind of takes a step back when you put categories into perspective, despite being the biggest award). For now, we’re looking at the short films. The Academy tends to pick a few token types of short films every single year, and so we will discuss them when these typical entires pop up below. Like the other shorts categories, we’re going to leave short and sweet reviews, so we don’t have tons of articles floating about within one day for short films. We observed these nominees and looked for what stories were being told, if they were reasonably resolved within a short time frame, and every other traditional element a feature would have (acting, sets, cinematography).

Here are your nominees for Best Live Action Short Film, ranked from worst to best.

Biggest Snub: sometimes, i think about dying

Come on. Out of all of the nominees that made the final cut determined by the short list, there are at least two works that could have easily been replaced by the moving, identifiable sometimes, i think about dying. The narration channels the inner thoughts of a clinically depressed employee, who finds a will to hang on to living through a coworker she falls for. Representing mental illnesses without glorifying them, this short is thoroughly sensitive towards the daily battles many of us suffer with in silence. This could be one of the best shorts of the shortlist, if not arguably the best. Its omission is painful.

5. The Neighbor’s Window

The Academy sometimes likes shorts that are confused, or arguably lazy, until they reach a concluding scene. You get a false sense of reward, as if the entire short meant to build up to this point, and so the entire trip was worthwhile. We don’t feel that way. The Neighbor’s Window concludes with an interesting take on voyeurism: something many of us are guilty of in a digital age (although here, the methods are traditional). You’re meant to be moved, and the “message” (we suppose) is earnest. The build up to this moment feels absolutely flimsy, however. Mediocre acting. Tonal confusion. The Neighbor’s Window doesn’t really work.

Rating: 2.5/5

4. Nefta Football Club

The Academy also adores shorts that are meant to serve one final punchline, and these films aren’t necessarily bad. However, they can stand out painfully so (see Ave Maria from 2015). This year’s candidate is fun, but absolutely not worthy of a nomination. Nefta Football Club is meant to lead up to a final shot, but every twist and turn feels convoluted, no matter how amusing they may be. For instance, a donkey is conditioned to trotting over to a stop if it hears a song by Adele on its headphones (why would drug traffickers waste expensive Beats for this mission? Couldn’t a cheap pair from Winners suffice?). This sets up a joke where the wrong artist was played for the animal, because the operation was misheard. Yeah. Nefta Football Club is somewhat funny, but really not strong at all.

Rating: 3/5

3. SARIA

Now we’re talking. The Academy will also toss in a short based on (or inspired by) true events, just for some topical flavour. Here, SARIA is influenced by the burning down of the Virgen de La Asuncion Safe Home back in 2017. The story is fictional, but aims to pinpoint what may have been an internal story regarding this tragedy. SARIA includes the perseverance to withstand constant domestic torture within the orphanage, and it’s a challenging watch. However, this is what a short should be like. We get a premise, strongly written characters, and a reasonable conclusion, all within the span of just over twenty minutes. SARIA is a live action short we can get behind, especially because of how well it works around a real crisis.

Rating: 4/5

2. Brotherhood

In case it wasn’t obvious, the Academy loves to use this category to focus on foreign films, and we think it’s a great mission. That means refreshing narratives. Brotherhood is a tale from Tunisia (with coproduction help by Canadian, Swedish, and Qatari studios) about a suspicious father and his son who has returned from Syria with a new bride. Quickly, the story gets rolling. You see the son’s relationships with his family members, and how his new wife is treated. The film spirals towards a twist, and you may be on the same page as the father. Once we reach the end, all is helpless. Changes need to be made. Mistakes need to be mended. There just isn’t enough time. It’s only a short. Brotherhood exploits its medium, representing how life itself is only so long, and the wrong moves can ruin the remainder of existence for those we love.

Rating: 4/5

1. Une Sœur/A Sister

This is what making a short film is all about. A Sister is one of the shorter nominees, but it knows exactly how to get its tale across. Even the visuals are limited, including a majority of darkness, and a lack of space. You have a basic premise, and a plot that escalates the more you find out (hence why we are playing dumb and refusing to give any of this away). It’s incredible what a ride you can have with so little. Without question, A Sister is the best nominee of the bunch (with some of the picks, it wasn’t even close). Even the better films — while great — don’t really push the formula as much as A Sister does. For some people, shorts are preferred films to watch, because of how different a successful work is when pulled off (compared to features). A Sister is one of those successes. It is minimalist in every way, outside of story, and it uses its clever writing to maximize the entire experience. No contest. A Sister wins for us.

Rating: 4.5/5

Who we want to win: Our top three (A Sister, Brotherhood, SARIA) are all strong enough that we won’t mind which film wins out of this batch.

Who we think will win: Currently, Brotherhood seems to be the strongest option to go with, considering how 2019 was technically an entire year of success for the short. We’re going to predict Brotherhood for now.

Tune in tomorrow for our next Academy Award category! We’re reviewing every single nominee.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

Best Live Action Short Film: Ranking Every Oscar Nominee