2020 Oscar Shorts: Documentary

The Oscars 2020 Short Film (Documentary) nominations have been announced! The nominees for Short Film (Documentary) are: IN THE ABSENCE, LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU'RE A GIRL), LIFE OVERTAKES ME, ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN and WALK RUN CH-CHA.

LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU'RE A GIRL)
Over the course of 15 years, a class of young girls from disadvantaged neighborhoods in war-torn Kabul, learn to read and write, and grow together in confidence through the joy of skateboarding.
Director: Carol Dysinger
UK
(NR, 39 min.)

LIFE OVERTAKES ME
Hundreds of refugee children in Sweden who have fled with their families from extreme trauma in their home countries have become afflicted with Resignation Syndrome. Facing deportation, they withdraw from the world into a coma-like state, as if frozen, for months or even years.
Director: John Haptas, Kristine Samuelson
Sweden/USA
(NR, 39 min.)

IN THE ABSENCE
When the MV Sewol ferry sank off the coast of South Korea in 2014, over three hundred people lost their lives, most of them schoolchildren. Years later, the victims’ families and survivors are still demanding justice from national authorities.
Director: Yi Seung-Jun
South Korea
(NR, 28 min.)

ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN
Bruce Franks Jr., a leading Ferguson activist and battle rapper who was elected to the overwhelmingly white and Republican Missouri House of Representatives, must overcome both personal trauma and political obstacles to pass a bill critical to his community.
Director: Smriti Mundhra, Sami Khan
USA
(NR, 28 min.)

WALK RUN CH-CHA
Chipaul and Millie Cao reunited in 1980s Los Angeles after being separated by the Vietnam War. Forty years later, they become ballroom dancers to reconnect again and make up for lost time.
Director: Laura Nix
USA
(NR, 21 min.)

Ratings guidelines:
Documentary Shorts: R, as usual. The Documentary program deals with global political issues – the refugee crisis, the education of girls and women in Afghanistan, activism in Ferguson MO. Very strong doc program this year.