Since March 6, the American Cinematheque has been screening the 2008 Oscar nominated shorts (both live action and animated — but no documentaries). The screenings continue until Thursday, March 13.
Schedules and brief synopses are from the Cinematheque's press release. (All films have English subtitles if in another language.)
OSCAR NOMINATED LIVE ACTION SHORTS
Screens nightly at 7:30 PM (in Smaller Theatre)
Magnolia Pictures. Total running time: 137 min.
- Christiansen E. Christiansen & Louise Vesth's At Night (Denmark, 40 min, drama). Three young women share their problems while spending the holidays in a hospital cancer ward.
- Andrea Jublin's Il Supplente (The Substitute), (Italy, 17 min, comedy). The arrival of an unusual newcomer galvanizes the students in a high school classroom.
- Philippe Pollet-Villard's Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets), (France, 31 min, comedy). A pair of unlucky thieves find their fortunes have changed when they take in a deaf homeless boy. [Oscar winner and César winner.]
- Guido Thys & Anja Daelemans' Tanghi Argentini (photo, Belgium, 13 min, comedy). A man who must learn to dance the tango in two weeks asks an office colleague for help.
- Daniel Barber & Matthew Brown's The Tonto Woman (United Kingdom, 36 min, drama). A cattle rustler meets a woman who is living in isolation after being held prisoner for eleven years by the Mojave Indians.
OSCAR NOMINATED ANIMATED SHORTS
Screens nightly at 10:00 PM
Magnolia Pictures. Total running time: 85 min.
- Josh Raskin's I Met the Walrus (Canada, 5 min). In 1969, fourteen-year-old Jerry Levitan snuck into John Lennon's hotel room with his tape recorder and persuaded him to do an interview.
- Chris Lavis' and Maciek Szczerbowski's Madame Tutli-Putli (photo, Canada, 17 min). A timid woman boards a mysterious night train and has a series of frightening experiences. [Genie Award winner.]
- Samuel Tourneux and Simon Vanesse's Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go To Heaven), (France, 9 min). A priest tries to sell an old man a machine that he promises will transport him to heaven.
- Alexander Petrov's My Love (Russia, 27 min). In nineteenth-century Russia, a teenage boy in search of love is drawn to two very different women.
- Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman's Peter & The Wolf (United Kingdom & Poland, 27 min). A young boy and his animal friends face a hungry wolf in Prokofiev's classic musical piece. [Oscar winner.]
Tickets for each Program: $10 General / $8 Students & Seniors / $7 American Cinematheque Members
Tickets for both programs together: $15 General / $12 Students & Seniors / $10 American Cinematheque Members
Peter and the Wolf is simply marvelous. Brilliant animation.