As the Academy Award® race for Best Animated Short Film heats up, two films have emerged as clear frontrunners, each exemplifying a distinct creative approach to short form animation. John Kelly’s Retirement Plan and Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski’s The Girl Who Cried Pearls are now officially Oscar® nominated, putting them head to head in one of the year’s most closely watched categories.
Directed by Dublin-based filmmaker and Royal College of Art graduate John Kelly, Retirement Plan has built significant momentum throughout awards season following an exceptional festival run. Voiced and executive produced by Domhnall Gleeson, the film follows Ray, a midlife man overwhelmed by the present who imagines a future version of himself waiting in retirement to finally live fully. Inspired by Kelly’s own experience of anxiety, the short unfolds as a series of imagined futures, blending humour with melancholy in a minimalist visual style. The film’s themes of deferred ambition and emotional paralysis have resonated widely, helping secure both the Grand Jury Award and Audience Award at SXSW, alongside top prizes at Palm Springs International ShortFest and the Bali International Film Festival.
In contrast, The Girl Who Cried Pearls represents the opposite end of the animation spectrum, favouring meticulous craft and classical storytelling. The Oscar® nomination marks the second Academy recognition for Montreal-based duo Lavis and Szczerbowski, following their earlier success with Madame Tutli Putli. Set in early twentieth century Montreal, the stop motion fable centres on a girl whose tears turn to pearls, and the moral consequences that follow when grief and greed collide. Featuring voice work by Colm Feore and an original score by Patrick Watson, the film has been widely praised for its tactile detail, emotional precision, and patient craftsmanship. Since premiering in competition at Annecy, it has screened at more than 40 international festivals and collected over 11 major awards, including honours from TIFF, ASIFA-Hollywood, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
While stylistically divergent, both films highlight the expanding scope of animated storytelling within the short form. Retirement Plan channels contemporary anxiety through humour and restraint, while The Girl Who Cried Pearls draws on mythic structure and hand-crafted detail to explore timeless emotional terrain. Together, they underscore a competitive year for animation in which personal storytelling and technical excellence are equally rewarded.
With awards season underway, the category presents a compelling contrast between modern minimalist animation and classical stop motion craftsmanship. Whichever title ultimately prevails, the presence of these two Oscar®-nominated films signals a strong year for animated shorts that prioritise emotional clarity, directorial voice, and long-term audience impact.
Marty Longfield
