Oscar Documentary Short Nominees Cover a Wide Range of Topics
variety.comAndrew Barker Senior Features WriterThe documentary short competition has long been a prime stage for nonfiction talent, and thanks to the renewed interest of streamers and new platforms, the format is as lively as ever.
This year’s nominees encompass a wide range of subjects, from female sports pioneers to homelessness, love in a warzone and childhood bullying.
And don’t let the running times fool you: these docs are every bit as rigorous, inventive and heartbreaking as anything the feature competition has to offer.
As nominee Jay Rosenblatt quips when asked of the advantages of the short format: “Some would say it’s harder. Mark Twain’s quote comes to mind: ‘I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.’” Audible Director Matt Ogens has a personal connection to the Maryland School for the Deaf — he grew up nearby, his aunt taught sign language at the school and his best friend is deaf.
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