I recentÂly heard someÂone quip that proÂposÂals to cut the AcadÂeÂmy Awards are tanÂtaÂmount to sugÂgestÂing that the NFL trim down the Super Bowl. CerÂtainÂly for many who would rather watch the forÂmer any day of the week, even the play-by-play of techÂniÂcal catÂeÂgories repays attenÂtion. Yet peoÂple who think of the Oscars as a major sportÂing event with big stars and blockÂbusters going head-to-head can still appreÂciÂate the show as more than specÂtaÂcle. How else, for examÂple, would most of us learn about brilÂliant aniÂmatÂed short films like the NationÂal Film Board of Canada’s AniÂmal BehavÂiour, made by husÂband and wife team AliÂson SnowÂden and David Fine and nomÂiÂnatÂed in this year’s Oscars? (See the trailÂer above.)
SnowÂden and Fine preÂviÂousÂly won an Oscar in 1995 for Bob’s BirthÂday, a hilarÂiÂous short about an unhapÂpy British denÂtist. Their latÂest film takes a charmÂing, anthroÂpoÂmorÂphic route to the quesÂtion Fine posÂes as, “Should what comes natÂuÂralÂly to you be someÂthing that you seek to change to please othÂers, or should othÂers accept you as you are?”
Group therÂaÂpy parÂticÂiÂpants seekÂing accepÂtance include LorÂraine, a leech with sepÂaÂraÂtion anxÂiÂety, VicÂtor, an ape with anger issues, and Cheryl, a prayÂing manÂtis, writes the NationÂal Film Board, “who can’t seem to keep a man.”
The NFB informs us that AniÂmal BehavÂiour is their 75th Oscar-nomÂiÂnaÂtion in the catÂeÂgoÂry of AniÂmatÂed Short Film, and whether you’re inclined to watch this part of the awards or not, you can get caught up with their extenÂsive playlist of 66 Oscar-winÂning and nomÂiÂnatÂed films on YouTube. (Bob’s BirthÂday is not availÂable, at least in the U.S., but you can watch it here.) See SnowÂden and Fine’s first film, George and RoseÂmary, a stoÂry in which “two goldÂen agers prove that pasÂsion isn’t reserved for the very young.”
Watch the very impresÂsive stop-motion aniÂmaÂtion of 2007’s Madame TutÂli-PutÂli, an “exhilÂaÂratÂing exisÂtenÂtial jourÂney” directÂed by Chris Lavis & Maciek SzczerÂbowsÂki. See Chris Landreth’s 2013 Oscar-winÂning comÂputÂer-aniÂmatÂed short, Ryan, about a charÂacÂter “livÂing every artist’s worst nightÂmare.”
And see the 2007 Oscar-winÂning exisÂtenÂtial aniÂmatÂed short The DanÂish Poet, directÂed by Torill Kove and feaÂturÂing narÂraÂtion by Liv UllÂmann. The offerÂings are vast and varÂied, disÂplayÂing the very best of CanaÂdiÂan aniÂmaÂtion, a nationÂal art that usuÂalÂly goes unseen and unacÂknowlÂedged by audiÂences outÂside its borÂders. But after watchÂing sevÂerÂal of these films you might agree that NFB aniÂmaÂtion deserves its long hisÂtoÂry of recogÂniÂtion at the Oscars. See the comÂplete playlist of films here.
Many of these films can be found in our colÂlecÂtion, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great ClasÂsics, Indies, Noir, WestÂerns, DocÂuÂmenÂtaries & More.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
EarÂly JapanÂese AniÂmaÂtions: The OriÂgins of AniÂme (1917 to 1931)
Free AniÂmatÂed Films: From ClasÂsic to ModÂern
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
I think  N F L T V N O W can be good place for you. You also will have there very good lives with all seaÂson games.
Thank you. Loved these.
Thank you for this litÂtle vacaÂtion in AniÂmaÂtion Land! I enjoyed all four works that I saw here and was delightÂed by the unique imagÂiÂnaÂtion that went into all of them… Cheers, Eric