2011 Academy Award-Nominated Animated Short Films

Friday, February 11 - Saturday, April 2, 2011

A showcase of the five animated short films nominated for this year’s Academy Awards, plus two additional films named to the Academy’s shortlist. This program is appropriate for all ages.

MADAGASCAR, CARNET DE VOYAGE – This film is a journey diary that redraws the trip of a European traveller confronted with Famadihana customs. As pages of a diary turn, colorful pencil sketches come to life, revealing the majestic rolling landscapes of Madagascar, and acquainting the audience to the people of the Malagasy culture. (French, 15 min., Director: Bastien Dubois)

LET’S POLLUTE – In the spirit of 50’s & 60’s educational films, ‘Let’s Pollute’ is a modern satire on how pollution is our heritage and keeps our economy growing strong, while instructing us how to be better polluters for a better blighted tomorrow.  (USA, 6 min., Director: Geefwee Boedoe)

THE GRUFFALO – The magical tale of a mouse who takes a walk through the woods in search of a nut. Encountering three predators who all wish to eat him a fox, an owl and a snake the plucky mouse has to use his wits to survive, creating an imaginary monster who then turns out to be only too real.  (UK; Germany, 27 min., Directors: Jakob Schuh, Max Lange)

THE LOST THING – A boy discovers a bizarre looking creature while out collecting bottle tops at the beach. Realising it is lost, he tries to find out who owns it or where it belongs, but is met with indifference from everyone else, who barely notice its presence, each unwilling to entertain this uninvited interruption to their day to day lives. For reasons he does not explain, the boy empathises with the creature, and sets out to find a ‘place’ for it.  (Australia; UK, 15 min., Directors: Andrew Ruhemann, Shaun Tan)

DAY & NIGHT – When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other’s unique qualities – and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world – the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective.  (USA, 6 min., Director:  Teddy Newton)

Plus two additional award-winning animated short films:

THE COW WHO WANTED TO BE A HAMBURGER – This is a children’s fable about the power of advertising, the meaning of life, and ultimately the test of a mother’s life.  (USA, 6 min., Director: Bill Plympton)

URS – For many years Urs has had to look after his aging mother. But now he sets out for a dangerous journey: He carries his mother up a mountain to find a better place for both of them. But she wants to stay at home. (Germany, 10 min., Director: Moritz Mayerhofer)

  • Running Time Total running time 85 minutes

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.