The "Best" of the Oscar Shorts

From 15 nominees (5 animated, 5 live-action and 5 documentary), Mountain Shadow selected the following six wonderfully-creative short films for our March show, 2024.

“Our Uniform” - Animated / Iran / 7 min. Director: Yegane Moghaddam / Producer: Jalil Moghaddam Synopsis: An Iranian girl unfolds her school memories on the folds and fabrics of her old uniform. Director’s Statement: “Uniforms are more than just a piece of clothing.”

“Red, White and Blue” - Live Action / USA / 23 min. Director: Nazrin Choudhury / Producer: Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlaneSynopsis: Rachel (Brittany Snow) is a single parent living paycheck to paycheck. When an unexpected pregnancy threatens to unravel her already precarious position, she’s forced to cross state lines in search of an abortion. As Rachel contemplates the series of events that necessitated this journey and the obstacles placed in her path, we learn a heartbreaking truth that means her life will never be the same again.

“The Last Repair Shop” - Documentary / USA / 39 min. Director: Ben Proudfoot, Kris Bowers / Producers: Ben Proudfoot, Kris Bowers, Jeremy Lambert, Josh Rosenberg Synopsis: Los Angeles is one of the last American cities to provide free and freely repaired musical instruments to its public schoolchildren. The film showcases the warehouse where devoted craftspeople keep over 80,000 instruments in good repair. Critc’s comment: “THE LAST REPAIR SHOP is one of the best short documentaries that I’ve ever seen — and I’ve seen a lot.” – Lapacazo Sandoval, Los Angeles Sentinel Mountain Shadow Director’s comment: This heartfelt documentary may certainly remind audiences who attended our 9th Annual Short Film Competition of the LA documentary that was one of our Finalists (and won first place),”The Orchestra Chuck Built.”

“Ninety-Five Senses” - Animated / USA / 13 min. Director: Jerusha Hess & Jared Hess / Producer: Miles David Romney and Tori A. Baker Synopsis: An ode to the body’s five senses delivered by a man with little time left to enjoy them.

“Knight of Fortune” - Live Action / Denmark / 25 min. Director: Lasse Lyskjær Noer / Producer: Kim Magnusson, Christian Norlyk Synopsis: The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin, this is too much for Karl to face. It is much easier to fix a broken lamp. A chance encounter with a stranger will help him face his pain. KNIGHT OF FORTUNE got the jury’s special mention at Clermont Ferrand Film Festival. Director’s comment: “It was important for me to create a film that encompasses the darkness of grief but also its warmth, love, and at times even humor.” “Late, late at night, alone with myself, the dream of you won’t be killed.” (from the yrics to the Danish song, “Knight of Fortune.”)

“War Is Over!” - Animated / USA / 11 min. Director: Dave Mullins / Producer: Brad Booker Synopsis: Set in an alternate WWI reality where a senseless war rages on, two soldiers on opposite sides of the conflict play a game of chess. A heroic carrier pigeon delivers the soldiers’ chess moves over the battlefield as the fighting escalates. Neither soldier knows his opponent as the game and the war builds to its climactic final move. Whoever wins the game, one thing is for certain: there are no winners in war.Inspired by the music of John and Yoko Lennon. Director’s comment: “With all the conflict happening around the the world, I feel John & Yoko’s message of peace is more relevant than ever.“

“We go to the movies to lose ourselves, to explore a world that partakes of our common reality and also departs from it.” - New York Times film critic, A.O. Scott