The Live Action category is the strongest this year has two strong entries, THE SINGERS and A FRIEND OF DOROTHY'S. THE SINGERS has the most dramatic segment I've seen so far this year, with the rendition of the song "I Need Your Love”. JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA is the funniest, while TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA is one of the best!
BUTCHER’S STAIN (USA 2025) ***
Directed by Meyer Levinson-Blount.
This student made short at the Steve Tisch (he wrote BREAKING AWAY and won the Oscar), also won the Silver Medal there. The film follows Samir, an Arab Israeli butcher working at a Tel Aviv supermarket. When hostage posters in the staff break room are torn down, suspicion quickly falls on him. Determined to keep the job he desperately needs, Samir struggles to prove his innocence while facing growing scrutiny and mistrust from coworkers and management. His supervisor tells him he was seen by a co-worker taking down the posters. It is good to see an Israeli film taking the side of a Palestinian. Despite the timely premise, the short is quite simply made.
A FRIEND OF DOROTHY (UK 2025) ****
Directed by Lee Knight
Power-açtıng in this short, especially from Miriam Margoyles including a cameo from Stephen Fry as an executor. Dorothy, an elderly widow (her ex-husband, who happens to be gay, whose health is declining but whose mind remains sharp, lives a quiet and solitary life. Her routine is unexpectedly disrupted when 17‑year‑old JJ sends a football into her garden, leading to an unexpected connection between them. Despite their differences in age and circumstance, the two gradually form a meaningful friendship and discover unexpected common ground. The film’s title refers to a historic phrase used as coded slang within gay culture, and the story itself touches gently on themes of loneliness, acceptance, queer identity (of both Dorothy’s husband and JJ), and the power of human connection across generations. Charming and touching with a touch of humour, mainly provided by Dorothy’s character.
JANE AUSTEN’SPERIOD PIECE (USA 2025) ****
Directed by Julia Aks and Steve Pinder
This 12-minute short is arguably the funniest short of all the Oscar shorts nominated. As in the spirit of the Jane Austen novels, the short is set in England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his expensive education has missed a spot. The film gets funnier as it moves along, complete with chickens being asked to hush up as the drama intensifies. What started as a short skit turned into a professionally made, handsome production complete with lavish sets and costumes, A total naughty delight, as in the outrageous name of the film’s characters.
THE SINGERS (USA 2025) ****
Directed by Sam A. Davis
Who would think that a film made in a grubby bar with a slew of old misfits could be so engaging? But director Davis’s film, based on a story by Ivan Turgenev Singers published in A Sportsman's Sketches an 1852 cycle of short stories. , depicts a downtrodden, improvised pub sing-off where the grand prize offered by the barkeeper is her and a hundred-dollar bill.. The first song rendered is Amazing Grace,e and as the short movies go along, the singer and the song get better till the final one tho will blow you away. The film, featuring a cast discovered through viral videos and street casting, includes Mike Young and Judah Kelly. Unbelievably and unexpectedly good! Hail the power of song! This short is also available to stream on Netflix Feb 13th.
TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA (Deux personnes échangeant de la salive)
(France /USA 2024) *****
Directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh
Even at the halfway mark of the short, one will be wondering what the f*** is going on. This is the wonder and pleasure of this short, which, in my opinion, is the best of the best in its delivery, concept and entertainment. The short is not just a quirky dystopia — it’s a sharp, darkly funny allegory about: the policing of intimacy, the fear of queer love and how modern societies can normalize violence while repressing tenderness. Narrated by Vicky Krieps, the film starring Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Luana Bajrami explores a dystopian world where kissing is punishable by death. The setting of the story in a luxury department store brilliantly highlights how capitalist transactions replace genuine human connection. The bond between the two women reflects the historical policing of queer love and marginalized desire. Unforgettable!
Comments powered by CComment