Animated Short Films - 1 nomination each

Blind Vaysha

This short film plays as a legend from an ancient culture.  It is about a girl whose left eye only sees the past and whose right eye only sees the future.  She can be looking directly at a person and see him as a child and as an elderly man.  She can look at a landscape and see the dawn of time and post armageddon.  She can look at the horizon and see the sunrise and the sunset.  There is no predicting the expanse of time between her two eyes.  Sadly, she can never see what's right in front of her.

Borrowed Time

This is a beautiful little film recounting the life of a sheriff who returns to the scene of a sad moment in his life, when he and his mentor were in a harrowing crisis and a tragic mistake haunts him forever. In a moment of deep regret and emotion, he questions whether he can continue with life, and an unexpected gift from his mentor plays an important role in helping him to choose life or death.

Pear Cider and Cigarettes

Pear Cider and Cigarettes appears to be the animated version of a real life story.  It is the tale of two best friends - one who has taken a more traditional path (Robert), and one who lived his life on the edge with no danger too frightening to tackle (Techno).  After a short lifetime of hard living and alcohol and drug abuse, Techno finds himself in China trying to get a new liver, and eventually Robert must come find him, get him through the surgery, and bring him home to Canada.  It is the first time I've seen an animated vagina in an animated short.  This one's not for kids!

Pearl

Watching a father and daughter musician travel the country in a beat up car turns out to be one of the sweetest films of the year.  We see them both grow up, buy a house, find ambition, and we see the daughter strike out on her own to achieve her musical dreams.  The backdrop of the film is an incredibly poignant soundtrack.  This is a lovely, emotional film.

Piper

It's hard to grow up and face your fears!  This adorable movie captures the transition of a little piper from being fed by his mother to having to forge for himself against a scary and tumultuous ocean. Little piper so desperately wants to avoid growing up, but his mom knows that to thrive, he must face his fears and learn to feed himself.  Aided by a little hermit crab, the piper finds a way to make it on his own.

*Some of these links below appear to be the full short film!