Here is my take on this year's Oscar nominees for Documentary Short:
"Extremis": A look at two families deciding whether or not to keep a loved one on life support suffers from the decision to focus on the issue and not let us get to know its subjects well enough. I've seen the winner from five years ago, "Saving Face", which also focused on a doctor and two patients but let us know all three as people to truly sympathize. That is the difference between a good film and a great one. Grade: B+
"4.1 Miles": This is the distance across the sea from Turkey to the Greek island which is exhausted from dealing with refugees. The film focuses on one boat captain who patrols the sea as many refugees are forces onto vessels that are not sea worthy and have to be rescued. Two harrowing rescues are portrayed, and I will never forget the captain's face, a man who is clearly tired but feels obligated to save as many lives as possible. Grade: A+
"Joe's Violin": A New York City public radio calls for donations of musical instruments results in a Holocaust survivor donating the violin he bought in the 1940s and the inner city girl who is given the instrument. Both seem like lovely people. But there was something about this short which seemed over committed to patting itself on the back, as a simple act of human decency was blown out of proportion. Grade: B
"Watani: My Homeland": Shot over several year, this follows a family in Syria where the father fights in the rebel resistance to the decision to leave the country and the culture shock of settling in Germany. Rarely does a short cover so much ground without feeling rushed, and give us such a sense of the members of one family. This is a towering achievement. Grade: A+
"The White Helmets": Also set in Syria, this profiles a volunteer crew which patrols the areas being bombed in Syria and work as first responders to save life at the risk of their own lives. This a solid example of what a short should do: teaches us about a worthy group and what they do. Grade: A
Who should win: All three shorts set in Syria. Having to choose one, I will vote for the one which effected me the most emotionally, and that is "Watani: My Homeland".
Who will win: When in doubt, this category goes for the Holocaust survivor. I also think there will be a bit of a split on the Syrian shorts, so "Joe's Violin" will win. While the other four deal directly with issues of death, this will be seen as more uplifting.
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