Mar 5, 2021

Watch the cartoon Brew roundtable discussion about the Oscar-nominated animation short

Every year we eagerly anticipate the announcement of the Academy Award shortlist for best animated short, yet once the films are announced, little public discussion takes place in the community about the critical merits of each contender.

This year, we've decided to do something about the lack of dialogue surrounding these films by gathering some of Cartoon Brew's key editorial staff – associate editor Alex Dudok de Wit, podcast host and contributing writer Jen Hurler, and myself – for a roundtable discussion about each of the ten shortlisted films.

Our goal was to speak honestly and openly about how we felt about the aesthetic and narrative merits of each film, much like how an actual film jury would debate the films. You can watch the discussion below, and yes, there are spoilers. The video can be navigated film-by-film using the chapters option on Youtube:

Nomination voting at the Academy begins today and will end next Wednesday, March 10. On Monday, March 15, the Academy will announce the final group of five nominated shorts.

Here's a summary of what we think should win and will win the Oscar for best animated short next month:

Jen Hurler: Opera, Genius LociAlex Dudok de Wit: Genius LociAmid Amidi: Opera, Kapaemahu, Genius Loci

Jen Hurler: Out, KapaemahuAlex Dudok de Wit: Out, Burrow, If Anything Happens I Love YouAmid Amidi: Out, Burrow, If Anything Happens I Love You