2023 Oscar-Nominated Short Films

For two nights only, Fresno Filmworks proudly presents an exclusive presentation of The Oscar-Nominated Short Films 2023 at Strummer’s. For the 18th year, Magnolia Pictures and ShortsTV continue the tradition of sharing the world’s best short-form cinema with the Central Valley in three categories: animation, live-action, and documentary. The two evenings will feature three full programs of Academy Award-nominated short movies, ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony on March 12. Tickets cost $10 general admission, $8 students and seniors, and a special $15 double-feature ticket for any two programs. Doors will open at 5pm each day and the first showings will start promptly at 5:30pm. Tickets will be cash only at the door, if you prefer to use a credit card please purchase online before the screening date. Assistive listening services are not available for these films.

Screening Times:

Wednesday, March 8, 2023
5:30pm Animation
7:30pm Live Action

Thursday, March 9, 2023
5:30pm Documentary

Ticket Information:

General Admission: $10
Senior/Student: $8
Double Feature: $15
Triple Feature: $25

Time between animation and live-action programs on Friday evening: 25 minutes

ANIMATED SHORTS – 95 minutes
Informally rated PG-13/R
An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It – A mysterious talking ostrich helps an office worker in need uncover the flaws in his stop motion universe. Directed by Lachlan Pendragon, Australia, 12 min.
The Flying Sailor – When a nearby ship explodes, a sailor embarks on an unexpected existential journey, inspired by the real-life catastrophic Halifax explosion of 1917. Directed by Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, Canada, 8 min.
Ice Merchants – Every day, a father and his son jump with a parachute from their vertiginous cold house, attached to a cliff, to go to the village on the ground, far away where they sell the ice they produce daily. Directed by João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano, Portugal/France/UK, 15 min.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – Four unusual friends, a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse, share truths about life as they search for a home. Directed by Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud, UK, 33 min.
My Year of Dicks – Pam tries very hard to lose her virginity and always searches for “the one.” She’s not alone; her best friends are with her. Directed by Sara Gunnarsdóttir and Pamela Ribon, USA, 26 min. (PLEASE NOTE: THIS 30-SECOND INTERSTITIAL CARD WILL APPEAR PRIOR TO MY YEAR OF DICKS: The following Oscar-nominated short film is intended for adult audiences and is not suitable for children. There will be a short break at this time so that patrons, if they choose, can exit the auditorium.)

LIVE ACTION SHORTS – 110 minutes
Informally rated PG-13

Ivalu– Ivalu is gone. Her little sister is desperate to find her and her father does not care. The vast Greenlandic nature holds secrets. Directed by Anders Walter and Rebecca Pruzan, Denmark, 17 min.
Night Ride – On a cold December night, Ebba is waiting for the tram. But an unexpected turn of events turns the journey home into an eventful one, setting her entire life on a new path. Directed by Eirik Tveiten and Gaute Lid Larssen, Norway, 16 min.
Le Pupille – This short follows a group of rebellious young girls at a Catholic boarding school in Italy during the advent season during a time of scarcity and war. Directed by Alice Rohrwacher, Italy, 39 min.
The Red Suitcase – A veiled 16 year old Iranian teenager is terrified to take her red suitcase from the carousel at the Luxembourg Airport and go through the exit doors. Directed by Cyrus Neshvad, Luxembourg, 18 min.
An Irish Goodbye – In rural Northern Ireland, a pair of estranged brothers are reunited after a premature death. Directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White, UK, 23 min.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS – 165 minutes
Informally rated PG-13/R

How Do You Measure a Year? – Filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt documents his daughter’s growth from age 2 to age 18. Directed by Jay Rosenblatt, USA, 29 min.
The Elephant Whisperers – Bomman and Bellie, a couple in south India, devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu, forging a family like no other. Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga, India, 40 min.
Stranger at the Gate – A Marine plans a terrorist attack in a mosque in a small American town. His plan takes an unexpected turn when he comes face to face with the people he is trying to kill. Directed by Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones, USA, 29 min.
Haulout – A man waits in his cabin on the desolate expanse of the Russian Arctic. He perseveres to observe a natural event that happens there every year, but ocean warming is taking its toll. Directed by Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev, UK, 25 min.
The Martha Mitchell Effect – Historians profile the life of Martha Mitchell, the wife of the cabinet member who was the most unlikely of whistleblowers. Directed by Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy, USA, 40 min.