In the Shadow of the Cypress, from directors Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi, screened and won at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. This LA Shorts, Animayo and Spark Animation winner is also one of the 15 finalists for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Annual Academy Awards. A father and daughter must work together […]

One of this year’s 15 Best Animated Short Film Oscars finalists is Magic Candies, directed by Daisuke Nishio. A boy puts colorful pieces of candy in his mouth, and suddenly he can communicate with others like never before. The original story is based on Heena Baek’s picture book. This Animation Scoop Interview with Magic Candies […]

One of the 15 Best Animated Short Film finalists for the 97th Annual Academy Awards is Percebes. This hand-drawn short from directors Alexandra Ramires and Laura Goncalves is about the life of goose barnacles… and much more. (This Animation Scoop Interview was conducted as an Email Q&A and was edited for length and clarity.) Q: […]

Director Nicolas Keppens’ stop-motion Beautiful Men is on the 2025 Academy Awards Best Animated Short Film shortlist. Three brothers, who happen to be bald, go to Istanbul for hair transplants. What will they discover, will they get along, and will they feel happy with their decisions? Keppens dissects it all in this Animation Scoop Q&A. […]

The miniature performers in a children’s TV show must figure out what to do when their human creator dies. Wander to Wonder goes down unexpected paths. Director Nina Gantz explains how she arrived at making her 2025 Oscars shortlisted animated short. (This Animation Scoop Interview was conducted as an Email Q&A and was edited for […]

A first kiss between two kids is the subject of director Loic Espuche’s charming comedy Yuck! (Beurk!), which is one of the 15 finalists for the 2025 Best Animated Short Film Oscar. (This interview was conducted as an Animation Scoop Email Q&A and was edited for length and clarity. Images Credit: IKKI Films) Jackson Murphy: […]

15 shorts will be narrowed down to five early on in 2025 for the latest Best Animated Short Film Academy Awards category. One of the hopefuls is The Wild-Tempered Clavier, from director Anna Samo. She pays tribute to the music of Bach and the art of filmmaking with this unique presentation. (This Animation Scoop Interview […]

Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sebastien Hamel are the directors of drama A Crab in the Pool, one of the 15 finalists for the upcoming Best Animated Short Film Oscar. The story is about a summer day with an older sister and younger brother that makes them reflect on the values of life — and how they […]

A Bear Named Wojtek is a new dramatic, hand-drawn animated short vying for awards consideration this year. It’s inspired by the life of a real, large, Syrian brown bear, who was adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II. His significant, remarkable accomplishments and lasting impact are chronicled in the film, from director Iain Gardner. […]

Adam Paloian and his team at Pinreel Inc. are nominated for the 2024 “Best Sponsored” Annie Award for iconic duo Tenacious D’s Video Games music video. Paloian, who recently won an Emmy for The Cuphead Show, joins me to talk about working with Jack Black and Kyle Gass and directing this fast-paced showcase of animation, […]

BOOM, about birds reacting to an erupting volcano (and hoping to stay alive and protect their eggs), has already won a Student Academy Award. Now it’s on the 96th Oscars shortlist for Best Animated Short Film. Find out how these five directors — Romain Augier, Charles Di Cicco, Gabriel Augerai, Yannick Jacquin and Laurie Pereira […]

Director Stéphanie Clement’s Pachyderme is on the 96th Annual Academy Awards Best Animated Short Film shortlist. It’s about a woman named Louise who recalls visiting her grandparents as a child. What follows is a serious and shocking look at their time together. Clement provides some context for how Pachyderme came to be in this Animation […]