Documentary Short Shortlist Predictions for the 97th Academy Awards
Updated: Dec 2, 2024
It's that time of year again! Shortlist announcements are about 2 weeks away and we are here to bring you our predictions of which shorts to look out for to be on the list. We will kick things off with documentary short. It was our best category last year as we went 10/15 in our predictions. This year 104 shorts qualified and submitted in the category. We watched about 80 of those and we think these are the 15 most likely to make the shortlist along with several honourable mentions, and others not to rule out. Also check out our podcast below for a more in depth analysis of our picks to see why we put certain things in and why we kept them out. Follow along or since it is rather long, if you are wanting to skip ahead to a specific short you can check out the time stamps we have posted below.
Podcast Time Stamps:
Introductions: 00:00
Some Thank You's: 06:25
Last years predction results, what we missed: 09:28
What we look for in doc shorts when making predictions: 13:20
Our voting system: 21:30
Start of our 15 shorts that will make the shortlist: 22:15
See below for time stamps for each individual short
1) Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World dir. Julio Palacio
Podcast Timestamp: 22:15
When the ShortStick crew did our individual predictions of the category Makayla’s Voice came out on top with a couple of us predicting it to win this season. Backed by Netflix the documentary premiered at Slamdance where it also received a honourable mention from the Grand Jury Awards along with a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize. When we screened the film as part of our Tribeca coverage earlier this year it won the Best Documentary Short category. Adding to the list of qualifying awards which started with the Cleveland International Film Festival where it won the Best Documentary Short Jury Award. The film itself follows the teenager Makayla who has a rare form of autism causing her to become essentially non verbal. Through a tool known as letter board therapy her family has finally been able to communicate with Makayla and she is sharing her amazing world with them and us the audience.
Watch on Netflix December 11th
2) I am Ready Warden dir. Smriti Mundhra
Podcast Timestamp: 24:58
I Am Ready, Warden is a hot-button issue film that details the final days leading up to the execution of Texas death row prisoner John Henry Ramirez, as he seeks redemption from his victim's son. Executive Produced by MTV Docs documentary superstar Sheila Nevins (herself a 2024 Documentary Short nominee for directing The ABCs of Book Banning), the film is an elegy about the death penalty where a prisoner seeks forgiveness. I Am Ready, Warden achieved the rare trifecta of the most important documentary awards, a Critic’s Choice Documentary Award nomination, the Cinema Eye Shorts List Semifinalist, and a spot on the DOC NYC Shortlist, essentially ensuring its place on the Oscar shortlist. Smriti Mundhra is also a familiar face in this category after she was nominated at the 92nd Academy Awards for her short St. Louis Superman.
Watch now on Paramount +
3) Incident dir. Bill Morrison
Podcast Timestamp: 27:28
Bill Morrison’s incendiary new documentary short film Incident documents in exacting detail the July 2018 shooting of another black men, Harith “Snoop” Augustus by Chicago Police officer Dillan Halley. Halley shot Augustus five times in what he also said was “in self-defence,” when he claimed that Augustus pointed his gun at a group of five officers on foot. Morrison uses the officer’s body cam footage as well as dashcam and CCTV surveillance video to create a minute-by-minute timeline of that afternoon’s events, and shows that after he was shot, another officer removed Augustus’ gun from its holster, where it had been the whole time. Morrison, working with the groups Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability, Forensic Architecture, and Invisible Institute, uses ever-changing configurations of split-screens to keep track and give precise details of each player in the unfolding chaos. Incident won Best Short at the IDA awards last year and has qualified for the 97th Academy Awards after winning best documentary short at Florida Film Festival.
4) Julia's Stepping Stones dirs. Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar
Podcast Timestamp: 30:10
Acclaimed documentary director and producer Julia Reichert, who passed away after a long battle with cancer in 2022, recounts the path she took to becoming an acclaimed filmmaker: her upbringing and education, and her interest in working people and the women's movement. The emotional film was finished by Reichert’s directing partner Steven Bognar following her death. Julia’s Stepping Stones is set to be released by Netflix (the 2023 Oscar winner in the documentary short category for The Elephant Whisperers), and the beloved Reichert and Bognar are already Oscar winners for their documentary feature American Factory. Despite its late debut (the film will premiere on Netflix December 18), Julia’s Stepping Stones was able to achieve an all-important place on the DOC NYC Shortlist.
Watch on Netflix December 18th
5) Instruments of a Beating Heart dir. Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Podcast Timestamp: 33:26
Ema Ryan Yamazaki follows a group of Japanese first-graders learning to play instruments and training to perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy). It is a cute and heartwarming portrayal of learning and perseverance. With New York Times Op-docs as a distributor, this short was both nominated for best short at IDA and made the DOC NYC list. Ema Ryan Yamazaki has been having a great year in documentaries as she is also editor on contending feature Black Box Diaries.
Watch here: https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000009295681/instruments-of-a-beating-heart.html
6) Once Upon a Time in Ukraine dir. Betsy West
Podcast Timestamp: 34:48
As the war rages on in Ukraine for the third year now their population has been forced to adapt to a new normal. This documentary puts the lens on a few of those families, and in particular the kids who have been growing up in an inherited conflict, finding ways to cope and maintain some sense of a childhood. Distributed by London Flair who is no stranger to Oscar campaigning, the documentary was nominated for Best Documentary Short at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards alongside many other big players this season. The director behind the film, Betsy West, is herself no stranger to the Academy Awards, having been nominated for her documentary feature RBG and shortlisted for the documentary feature Julia.
7) The Turnaround dirs. Kyle Thrash, Ben Proudfoot
Podcast Timestamp: 37:53
One of Netflix’s big pushes this season, The Turnaround shows the story of “The Philly Captain” Jon McCann who helped spearhead the standing ovation as a means to turning around his beloved struggling Philadelphia Phillies. Twice nominated in the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards (Best Short Documentary and Best Sports Documentary) it is already proven to be relevant this awards season. Co-directed by Academy darling, three time nominee and two time winner Ben Proudfoot (The Last Repair Shop, The Queen of Basketball, A Concerto Is a Conversation) we believe no list of predictions is complete without it this season.
Watch on Netflix
8) A Move dir. Elahe Esmaili
Podcast Timestamp: 39:52
The writer director Elahe Esmaili that last season gave us the qualified doc Can I Hug You? is back this season with A Move. This time around Elahe is also in front of the camera as we follow along when she helps her parents pack up their family home and celebrate Eid together with family, all while not wearing a Hijab which spurs a lot of debate between the generations. Distributed by the Op-Docs branch of the New York Times it has been steadily gaining traction and picking up awards and nominations throughout the season, such as the IDA Award (nominee), the Doc NYC Shorts Competition (nominee) and Uppsala International Short film festival Grand Prix (win) and audience award (win).
9) Motorcycle Mary dir. Haley Watson
Podcast Timestamp: 42:13
In the first few seconds of this ESPN 30 for 30 documentary short produced by Ben Proudfoot’s Breakwater Studios, you meet Mary, captivating and charming. As she rolls out her impressive list of accomplishments you soon find out she’s also got the grit and determination that make that inscription ring true. Director Haley Watson does an excellent job of pacing this short. She expertly intertwines archival footage and interviews with Mary with a great score to help give a well rounded view of Mary’s life. As the score speeds up and crescendos, we are fed with fast-paced high velocity race scenes and an excited Mary sharing about all of her accomplishments and races. Aside from being on ESPN and eventually Hulu and Disney+, Motorcycle Mary also made the DOC NYC list. this year. Unfortunately Mary passed away just a few days ago and her loved ones will be in our thoughts.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T70yHLeDhug
10) The Only GIrl in the Orchestra dir. Molly O’Brien
Podcast Timestamp: 43:55
Molly O’Brien tells about her aunt, Orin O'Brien in her film The Only Girl in the Orchestra. Orin was the first female musician in the New York Philharmonics and a pioneer for women in the orchestra. The film acts as a celebration of her retirement and as well as a portrait of her time in the orchestra as the two reminisce on memories as well as interview current and former students. Netflix distributes the film that will be out in just a couple of days on December 4th.
Watch on Netflix on December 4th
11) A Swim Lesson dirs. Rashida Jones, Will McCormack
Podcast Timestamp: 46:34
Produced by the LA Times’ Short Docs POV (also the producers of the 2024 Documentary Short Oscar winner, The Last Repair Shop), A Swim Lesson is an ode to an everyday hero, Bill Marsh, a swim teacher who helps children discover their own power when submerged in an overwhelming unknown. Co-directed by actress Rashida Jones, who is on Academy voters minds after she gave an emotional speech at the Academy Governor’s Awards in November, to accept her father Quincy Jones’ Honorary Oscar following his death earlier this year. A Swim Lesson landed a spot in the DOC NYC Shortlist of the best documentary shorts of the year and is also a Cinema Eye Shorts List Semifinalist. Co-director Will McCormack is already an Oscar winner for the animated short film If Anything Happens I Love You.
Watch here: https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/swimlesson/
12) Until He's Back dir. Jacqueline Baylon
Podcast Timestamp: 50:11
Until He's Back stands out from many other refugee stories by focusing on the important and difficult work done by many organizations to help alleviate the pain for refugees as well as focusing on the families left behind, not knowing where their children are. It is unique in the fact that it strays away from many of the conventional ways this story has been told. Jacqueline does an amazing job at conveying a sense of hurt and despair that these incredible workers experience every day at their jobs and leaves behind an inspiring sliver of hope amidst catastrophe. Until He's Back made the DOC NYC list and has been nominated by the IDA award for best documentary short.
Watch here: https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/untilhesback/
13) Anaïs dir. Hélène Hadjiyianni
Podcast Timestamp: 52:43
Anaïs tells the story of Anaïs Quemener, a marathon runner and a survivor of stage 3 breast cancer. As Anaïs beats both cancer and her records, she does it with the biggest smile on her face and exudes a joy that can be felt through the camera. Her perseverance and strength are inspiring. Aside from the moving story, this documentary is impeccably crafted as well. You can see Hélêne's background in photography naturally translating onto the screen through the use of artistic shots with interesting angels and beautiful aerial cinematography.Even the structure of the story is laid out artistically in four parts that parallels a race with travelling through life. The team behind Anaïs has done a great job of hosting screenings in big cities and getting the short in front of as many people as possible. We really believe in this short and think it has what it takes to move onto the shortlist.
14) The Path Forward dirs. Julie Cohen, Mo Husseini
Podcast Timestamp: 55:43
Oscar-nominated director Julie Cohen and Mo Husseini present a piece about those who have long advocated for peace between Israel and Palestine. It may stand a chance for its thesis about advocacy and a highly debated topic in society.
15) Chasing Roo dir. Skye Fitzgerald
Podcast Timestamp: 57:18
Director Skye Fitzgerald has been twice nominated for Best Documentary Short at the Oscars (with Hunger Ward and Lifeboat) and we wouldn't be shocked to see him there a third time. Chasing Roo takes you into the outback of Australia and gives you an in depth look at the relatively unknown trade of Kangaroo harvesting. Skye is able to show a truly unbiased portrait while spending significant time with with both sides of the issue (the hunters taking out the kangeroos and the wildlife rescue experts who devote their life to saving them). What is most impressive is not only Skye's ability to navigate the issue but the athleticism in following the hunt of kangeroos and hogs as they are being chased down and hunted, all the while filming in the dead of night. In this sense Chasing Roo is not an easy watch for any animal lovers out there, but Skye does more than justice to the issue in this unflinching portrait of these Australians. Despite not having distribution at the moment for this short, Skye is a two-time Oscar nominee in this category with his shorts Lifeboat and Hunger Ward. If our feelings are correct, this could be number 3!
Honourable Mentions:
Any of the following films have the potential to knock out any of the shorts from above. As always tough choices were made and almost all of these received votes but they fell just short of making our list:
Podcast Timestamp: 59:22
Denial, dirs. Daniel Lombroso, Paul Moakley
Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr, dir. Kimberly Reed
Eternal Father, dir. Ömer Sami
The Final Copy of Ilon Specht, dir. Ben Proudfoot
The Quilters, dir. Jenifer McShane
The Test, dirs. Laura Waters Hinson, Claudia Myers
Wild Hogs and Saffron, dir. Andy Sarjahani
Then Comes The Body, dir. Jacob Krupnick
Jumpman, dir. Tom Dey
A Few Others Notable Names in Contention (not mentioned in podcast):
The Orchestra That Chuck Built, dir. Christopher Stoudt
Goodbye, Morganza, dir. Devon Blackwell
Stud Country, dirs. Lina Abascal and Alexandra Kern
Uncle Bully's Surf Skool, dir. Leah Warshawski
All Things Metal, dir. Motoki Otsuka
Her Fight, His Hame: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner, dir. Brad Bailey
Frank, dir. David Gauvey Herbert
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