Exploring Academy Award-Nominated Short Documentaries

There aren’t too many things that are certain in life, but one of them is that the short documentaries nominated for Academy Awards in any given year are going to be depressing to sit through, especially when viewed consecutively. Sure, there’s usually something at least a little lighter thrown into the mix (though not really this year), but they tend to tackle some deeply sad subject matter. They are also often important to see however, since they can cover very important topics in unique ways that genuinely help to make them “real” for the viewer.

The first short presented in this package is about as “light” as things are going to get, so take it as a warning. Alison McAlpine’s Perfectly a Strangeness lives up to its name, offering up a meditative yet haunting look at both curiosity and our insignificance in the vastness of the cosmos. Cinematographer Nicolas Conniccioni captures stunning shots of a trio of donkeys as they make their way up a desert road towards an astronomical observatory. It appears to be devoid of humans, implying that perhaps the entire world might be, but is still running through its automated routines each night, staring out into space. The donkeys are fascinated by the massive machines, patiently watching them go through their motions while not understanding their purpose, before heading back down the path when everything ends at sun-up. It stretches the definition of what exactly a documentary is, and on first viewing I found it a bit frustrating, but it lingered with me and watching it again here, knowing where it was headed, I appreciated it quite a bit more. Perhaps a bit too obtuse for its own good, but that might also be a part of its charm. ★★★★

Things become significantly more straightforward in The Devil Is Busy, which follows Tracy, the security coordinator at an Atlanta abortion clinic, as she tries to keep things moving smoothly while ensuring patient safety and minimizing their contact with the group of men waving signs and shouting slogans at them from the street. Directors Christalyn Hampton and Geeta Gandbhir balance dryly clinical footage of the center’s operations with more emotional scenes to get their message across. Focusing primarily on the sweet but strong Tracy is a smart choice, as she is both a natural in front of the camera and so relatably human. It doesn’t exactly break ground within the medium, but still proves effective nevertheless. ★★★★

Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud compiles footage captured by the late filmmaker along with his brother Craig from a host of recent history’s most dangerous locations as well as scenes of those who knew him contending with his death in early 2022. The work he did was of immense importance, his death at the hands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine is a genuine tragedy, and Craig’s decision to document its aftermath is a bold and noble one. Alas, this format makes the film sometimes feel more like a quick tour of global tragedies, largely devoid of context, and less of the heartfelt tribute I think it is intended to be. ★★★

If you haven’t shed any tears by the time All the Empty Rooms begins don’t worry, this one should extract at least a few. CBS News journalist Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp have been traveling around the United States documenting the still unchanged bedrooms of children who lost their lives in school shootings. We join them as they are nearing the end of the project, with only a handful of families to still visit and it is impossible not to be deeply affected by what director Joshua Seftel shows us. We truly get a sense of who these children were by examining the things they left behind, and as if seeing the signs of a life cut short wasn’t devastating enough, the interviews with surviving family members seal the deal. It’s outrageous how long this epidemic of violence has been allowed to continue, and while I can’t say if this unforgettable little film will go any way towards repairing things, if it can get even a few viewers to understand the depth of the problem then maybe there’s still some hope. ★★★★★

The final documentary short included here is also the one that has left me feeling the most conflicted. Hilla Medalia’s Children No More: Were and Are Gone follows a group of Israeli activists in Tel Aviv, who gather regularly to hold silent vigils in public spaces highlighting the number of children their country has killed in its assault on Gaza. As one might imagine, many in their country don’t take too kindly to the quiet crowd and their posters of Palestinian children, even if the idea of anyone being for these deaths is hard to fathom. The scenes of strangers spewing vitriol in their direction will effectively raise the ire of viewers, but something about the presentation feels at least a little uncomfortably self-serving and the early portions can feel oddly inert. The message here is an important one, so it’s a shame the film delivering it isn’t a bit stronger. ★★★