We’ve been showcasing the short films nominated for the Academy Awards ever since the VIFF Centre opened 20 years ago. This year’s contenders in the Live Action category make for an eclectic program. They include comedies, drama, an experimental musical, and a dystopian fantasy; films from the UK and the US, France and Israel.
Butcher’s Stain (Meyer Levinson-Blount, Israel, 26 min)
Samir, an Arab Israeli working in a supermarket in Tel Aviv, is accused of tearing down hostage posters in the break room. He sets out to prove his innocence to keep this job that he desperately needs.
A Friend of Dorothy (Lee Knight, UK, 21 min)
An elderly woman (Miriam Margolyes) makes an unexpected friend when 17-yr-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) comes to reclaim his ball from her garden.
Jane Austen’s Period Drama (Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, USA, 13 min)
England, 1813 — a long-anticipated proposal is interrupted by “that time of the month”, to the consternation of the would-be suitor.
The Singers (Sam A Davis, USA, 18 min)
Based on a short story by Turgenev, this docu-musical hybrid contrives an impromptu sign-off in a pub populated by viral internet sensations.
Two People Exchanging Saliva (Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, France/USA, 36 min)
In a world where kissing is punishable by death and slaps are currency, compulisve shopper Angine becomes fascinated by a playful salesgirl.
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Also Playing
2026 Oscar® Shorts (Animated)
The nominees for Best Animated Short Film include The Girl Who Cried Pearls, a fable from Canadian filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, narrated by Colm Feore.
2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)
Don't come to the program of Oscar®-nominated documentary shorts for escapism. But let's talk about the Canadian contender, Perfectly a Strangeness, featuring an abandoned observatory and three donkeys. More of this, please.
A Poet
When embittered poet Oscar Restrepo takes a job at a local high school, he meets Yurlady, a talented student from a poor background. Seeking to help her cultivate her art, he draws her into the poetry world — to disastrous and comedic results.
It Was Just an Accident
Having offered some late-night assistance to a stranger in the wake of an auto accident, a mechanic grows convinced that he recognizes the supposed stranger’s voice as that of his torturer during a grueling prison spell.