Oscar Shorts Festival

Join us Oscar weekend at the Mill Hill Playhouse in Trenton, NJ for screenings of the nominated short films—in documentary, live action, and animation categories. This yearly event is a great opportunity to see the best short films from around the world. See if you can predict the winners! The showings will take place at the Mill Hill Playhouse in Trenton, NJ, on Friday, March 8 at 6:30 PM, showcasing documentary shorts, and Saturday, March 9 at 1:00 PM for the live action category, 3:30 PM for the animation category, and 6:00 PM for the live action category. You can purchase your tickets at the Trenton Film Society website, http://trentonfilmsociety.org/, or at the door. Ticket prices are $12 for a single showing and $20 for a double feature. Snacks and beverages are provided in between each program. Ballots will be accessible for marking your choice of the Oscar winners. Tickets are $20 for the jumbo showing (141 minutes) of documentaries on Friday, and $12 for a single program or $20 for an animated and live-action double feature on Saturday. Complimentary snacks and drinks will be served between programs. At the showings, you will get a ballot for marking your choices for the Oscar winner. Correct guesses for winners in each category will be entered into a drawing for an all-access pass to the Trenton Documentary Film Festival on May 17. The documentaries this year appeal to all audiences. All are from the U.S. and PG or PG-13 rated. “Nǎi Nai & Wài Po,” directed by Sean Wang, tells the story of his two grandmas who nurture each other as they age, dancing, stretching, and farting their problems away. “The Barber of Little Rock,” codirected by Christine Turner and John Hoffman, introduces us to Arlo Washington, who not only cuts hair but fosters economic equality through the founding of a nonprofit community bank. S. Leo Chang, in his film, “Island in Between,” uses his personal experiences to explore the rising tensions between Taiwan and China and the relationship of the U.S. to both. “The ABCs of Book Banning” shines a light on the lack of access to books can have on children and their future. The director Sheila Nevins uses interviews with authors and children to explore their opinions on this controversial subject. Finally, “The Last Repair Shop,” codirected by Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot, ensures that no student will be deprived of an instrument. It emphasizes the importance of music for children and the beauty of human nature in wanting to fix what is broken. The live action category (rated R) shows a broad range of experiences from Canada, the UK, Denmark, and the U.S. Misan Harriman’s film “The After,” starring David Oyelowo, follows a man who, in the aftermath of an attack on the capital, as he comes to terms with the experience and his society. “Red, White and Blue,” is Nazrin Choudhury’s film about a single mother whose unexpected pregnancy forces her to navigate new obstacles in the form of more restrictive abortion laws. The Danish entry, “Knight of Fortune,” takes the viewer through the stages of grief, and the fears that come along with death, through the protagonist, Karl. “Invincible,” directed by Canadian Vincent René-Lortie, is a film inspired by a true story about the last 48 hours of a fourteen-year-old boy who seeks a sense of freedom. Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” interprets Roald Dahl’s beloved story about a man (played by Benedict Cumberbach) who uses a stolen book to predict the future—and give him an edge in gambling. This year's animation category takes up adult themes of war and oppression. In “Our Uniform” a young Iranian girl retells her time in school through unfolding the wrinkles of her old uniform. After young schoolgirl in “Letter to a Pig” hears a story from a Holocaust survivor in class, it triggers her subconscious mind to dream about her own identity and the duality of human nature. The female experience is again highlighted in “Pachyderme,” which tells the tale of a young girl who spends every summer at her grandparent’s house. However, this summer, there is a change in the weather as snow begins to fall and a monster will die. In “Ninety-Five Senses” a man dealing with the gradual loss of his senses as he grows older reflects on how precious they are. “War Is Over, Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko” places the viewer in an alternate WWI reality where two soldiers on opposing sides play chess via carrier pigeon. As the war continues, the game grows more and more intense. To round out the program an additional two runner-up films, “Wild Summon” and “I’m Hip,” will be shown.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2242460-0

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2242460-2

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