COLDWATER – Tibbits Classic Film Series will once again showcase the 2020 Academy Award nominees for best animated and live action short films on Sunday, February 9.
“We are excited to bring this event back for a second year and present these films on the big screen,” said Tibbits film curator Matt Biolchini. “You have a chance to enjoy these shorts and make your predictions of the winners prior to the Academy Award ceremony, which takes place the evening of Sunday, Feb. 9,” he continued.
A short film is any motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits, per guidelines set forth by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In the past, short films generally relied on exhibitions at festivals to reach an audience. This is still the case for the most part, with the short films being shown at Sundance and Cannes, the biggest festivals.
While there are three categories-live action, animation, and documentary- Tibbits will be showing nominations in the first two categories. Animation really took advantage of the short film format when Warner Brothers and Disney began putting short cartoons before all of their feature length films. This is a tradition that Pixar has carried over to the present day by screening a short along with each of its feature films during its initial theatrical run since 1995.
Typically the short film is the first step for new filmmakers, but professional actors and crews will quite often opt to create shorts as an alternative form of expression, such as Twilight star Kristen Stewart did with her directorial debut Come Swim in 2017. The short film has been particularly kind to up-and-coming directors, most notably Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine on a Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind), John Lasseter (Toy Story, Cars), Tim Burton (Edward Scissor Hands, Batman), John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing, Christine), Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Office Space, Idiocracy), and F. Gary Grey (Friday, The Italian Job-2003).
This special presentation of the 2019 Oscar-Nominated Shorts begins at 2pm and has a cost of $8. The films are not yet rated but the trailers for each film are available at shorts.tv/theoscarshorts. Concessions, including a cash bar, will be available for purchase. Tibbits Classic Film Series showcases Hollywood classics from such genres as sci-fi, film noir, musicals, comedies, and mysteries, and is sponsored by Dr. Matthew Christopher, DDS. All other showings to the Classic Film Series are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit Tibbits.org or call 517-278-6029. Screenings are held at the historic Tibbits Opera House, 14 S. Hanchett St. Coldwater.
