By Kwak Yeon-soo
Award-winning filmmaker Erick Oh s new independent short film Opera, which was shortlisted in the animated short film category at the 93rd Academy Awards, depicts the beauty and cruelty of human life within a pyramid-shaped structure.
With Opera being the only Asian film among the 10 shortlisted in the category, the former Pixar animator is now waiting for the nominations to be announced on March 15. It feels surreal to be shortlisted in the animated short film category at the Oscars. If it wasn t for the pandemic, I would be going to cool places to hold physical screenings and promote the film. But due to the pandemic, I was able to devote more time on my next project, Oh said during a recent interview with The Korea Times via Zoom.
Director: Madeline Sharafian
The first of two Pixar films on the shortlist is a guided tour of all the things that live underground, courtesy of a rabbit who is looking for his own home. To the strains of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” the bewildered and intimidated bunny encounters bugs, badgers and a whole menagerie of burrowing rodents and since it’s Pixar, it’s impeccably made and thoroughly charming.
Will it feel substantial enough to voters? Perhaps not, but it’s hard to argue with Pixar’s track record in the category, or with the appeal of good old-fashioned craftsmanship to many voters. Plus, it has a message of tolerance, which may feel needed after the last few years.