The shorts and animation branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose its final five from 140 qualifying films. In order to qualify for Oscar contention, shorts have to win an award at an eligible film festival. Last year’s winner, for example, Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton’s “The Silent Child,” debuted at the Rhode Island International Film Festival before going on to win the Academy Award.
Many Academy voters don’t catch up with these shorts from emerging filmmakers around the world until they’re nominated. This year’s five contenders hail from four countries, and deal with a disturbing range of dark subjects, often involving children in jeopardy.
Irish director Vincent Lambe’s controversial, true-life drama, “Detainment,” focuses on the shocking 1993 Liverpool murder of a toddler by two 10-year-old boys, who are interrogated by skeptical police.
Jérémy Comte’s 16-minute Sundance winner, “Fauve,” also focuses...
Many Academy voters don’t catch up with these shorts from emerging filmmakers around the world until they’re nominated. This year’s five contenders hail from four countries, and deal with a disturbing range of dark subjects, often involving children in jeopardy.
Irish director Vincent Lambe’s controversial, true-life drama, “Detainment,” focuses on the shocking 1993 Liverpool murder of a toddler by two 10-year-old boys, who are interrogated by skeptical police.
Jérémy Comte’s 16-minute Sundance winner, “Fauve,” also focuses...
- 2/13/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Each of the multi-award winning narrative shorts (40 minutes and under running time) explores a somber theme. Directors hail from Canada, Europe and Israel with one U.S.-made entry (“Skin”). Members of the Academy’s Short Films and Feature Animation Branch determined the shortlist and nominees, culled from 140 qualifying entries. Academy rules dictate that only voters who’ve seen all five films are eligible to vote in this category.
Detainment
Childhood’s darkest possibilities are explored in three of the films. “Detainment,” directed, written and produced by Dublin-based Vincent Lambe, along with producer Darren Mahon, is rooted in a true story and utilizes verbatim police transcripts, as two 10-year-old murder and kidnapping suspects are questioned in the notorious 1993 U.K. crime. The subject remains sensitive and controversial 25 years on. “I wanted to make sense of what happened in order to prevent it in the future,” says Lambe, who also works...
Detainment
Childhood’s darkest possibilities are explored in three of the films. “Detainment,” directed, written and produced by Dublin-based Vincent Lambe, along with producer Darren Mahon, is rooted in a true story and utilizes verbatim police transcripts, as two 10-year-old murder and kidnapping suspects are questioned in the notorious 1993 U.K. crime. The subject remains sensitive and controversial 25 years on. “I wanted to make sense of what happened in order to prevent it in the future,” says Lambe, who also works...
- 2/6/2019
- by Kathy A. McDonald
- Variety Film + TV
Ahead of the Academy Awards, we’re reviewing each short category. See the Live Action section below and the other shorts sections here.
Detainment – Ireland – 30 minutes
Two ten-year-old boys were placed into police custody in 1993 on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering the not-yet three-year-old James Bulger in Merseyside, England. They were interrogated separately with parents present about their whereabouts on that fateful day and whether or not they were guilty of the crime. It’s unfathomable to believe children so young could have done what they did, but it’s even harder to comprehend them lying about it when the truth starts to spill out. These interviews were recorded and eventually released as a matter of public record with certain tapes remaining sealed due to the graphic nature of what was described. The pair served eight years with appeals of fair trial violations reducing their sentences before receiving new identities in the aftermath.
Detainment – Ireland – 30 minutes
Two ten-year-old boys were placed into police custody in 1993 on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering the not-yet three-year-old James Bulger in Merseyside, England. They were interrogated separately with parents present about their whereabouts on that fateful day and whether or not they were guilty of the crime. It’s unfathomable to believe children so young could have done what they did, but it’s even harder to comprehend them lying about it when the truth starts to spill out. These interviews were recorded and eventually released as a matter of public record with certain tapes remaining sealed due to the graphic nature of what was described. The pair served eight years with appeals of fair trial violations reducing their sentences before receiving new identities in the aftermath.
- 2/5/2019
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.