"Thank the gods of cinema for this annual release of Oscar nominees." -San Francisco Chronicle
"Short films remain a great way to discover new talent in its infancy. Past short film winners have included John Lasseter, Peter Capaldi, Jim Henson, Don Siegel, Taylor Hackford and Steven Wright." -RogerEbert.com
FilmScene is pleased to continue our popular annual tradition of screening the Oscar-nominated short films!
Join us for all three programs featuring every Academy Award nominee in the Animated, Live Action, and Documentary Shorts programs. Each program will screen multiple times over multiple weeks with individual ticketing for each program.
2016 OSCAR-NOMINATED DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
NOTE: The documentary shorts will be presented in two programs with a 10-minute intermission.
PROGRAM A
Approximate rating: R
BODY TEAM 12
dir. David Darg, Liberia, 13 minutes
In Monrovia, Liberia, Garmai Sumo is the only female member of Body Team 12, one of the many teams collecting the bodies of those who died from Ebola during the height of the 2014 outbreak. Despite the perilous nature of her job and the distrust with which she is often met, Garmai remains dedicated to her work.
A GIRL IN THE RIVER: THE PRICE OF FORGIVENESS
Dir. Sharmen Obaid-Chinoy, Pakistan, 40 minutes
Every year, more than 1,000 girls and women are the victims of religiously motivated honor killings in Pakistan, especially in rural areas. Eighteen-year-old Saba, who fell in love and eloped, was targeted by her father and uncle but survived to tell her story.
LAST DAY OF FREEDOM
Dirs. Dee Hibbert-Jones & Nomi Talisman, USA, 32 minutes
When Bill Babbitt realized that his brother Manny had committed a crime, he agonized over the decision to call the police, knowing that Manny could face the death penalty but hoping he would instead receive the help he needed. Manny, an African-American veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, suffered from PTSD and had found it difficult to obtain healthcare.
PROGRAM B
Approximate rating: PG-13
CHAU, BEYOND THE LINES
Dir. Courtney Marsh, USA/Vietnam, 34 minutes
Chau, a teenager living in a Vietnamese care center for children born with birth defects due to Agent Orange, struggles with the difficulties of realizing his dream to become a professional artist and clothing designer. Despite being told that his ambitions are unrealistic, Chau is determined to live an independent, productive life.
CLAUDE LANZMANN: SPECTRES OF THE SHOAH
Dir. Adam Benzine, USA, 40 minutes
Thirty years after the release of the documentary SHOAH, filmmaker Claude Lanzmann discusses the personal and professional difficulties he encountered during the more than 12 years it took to create the work. Lanzmann also discusses his relationships with Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, and his teenage years spent fighting in the French Resistance during World War II.