Oscar-Nominated The Singers: Sam Davis on Underdogs, Improvisation and Finding Beauty in Ordinary Rooms

By Rebecca Ford Now streaming globally on Netflix, The Singers is an Oscar-nominated, genre-bending short from two-time Academy Award® nominee Sam A. Davis. Inspired by a nineteenth-century story from Ivan Turgenev, the film reimagines classic literature as a contemporary meditation on connection, artistry and the overlooked voices hiding in plain sight. Set inside a down-at-heel pub filled with downtrodden men, The Singers unfolds around an impromptu sing-off that gradually dissolves emotional barriers. … Continue reading Oscar-Nominated The Singers: Sam Davis on Underdogs, Improvisation and Finding Beauty in Ordinary Rooms

Carlos Fernández de Vigo and Lorena Ares on the Triumph of Oscar® Contending CAFUNE

Their acclaimed film CAFUNE is hitting the next level of filmiatic achievement; qualifying for the 97th Academy Awards, now they have sat down with us to discuss their film and its socially important themes. Carlos and Lorena, CAFUNÈ has been hailed as a breakthrough in animated storytelling. What specific challenges did you face in transitioning from your previous works to a deeply emotional short like CAFUNÈ? How did your … Continue reading Carlos Fernández de Vigo and Lorena Ares on the Triumph of Oscar® Contending CAFUNE

INTERVIEW: Inside the Valley Sings

The new animated short documentary tore through the festival landscape and now they have their sights set on the Oscars as a contender. We sat down with director Nathan Fagan to talk about his process. 1. This film uses animation to convey lived experience; what were the earliest conversations like about combining documentary testimony with hand-drawn visuals? Very early on, I felt like animation was the … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Inside the Valley Sings

HOLLYSHORTS SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Hayder Rothschild Hoozer – Producer of ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS

In this interview, producer Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer, discusses his BAFTA-winning short ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS, which recently screened at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival. You have firsthand experience from time spent in Ukraine during active bombardment. How did that lived experience shape the way you produced this film? I had been to Ukraine several times before the film, even before the 2022 invasion. One of my … Continue reading HOLLYSHORTS SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Hayder Rothschild Hoozer – Producer of ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS

HOLLYSHORTS SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Guy Trevellyan – Director of PLASTIC SURGERY

In this interview, director Guy Trevellyan discusses his thrilling short film PLASTIC SURGERY which recently screened at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival. What was the original spark that led to PLASTIC SURGERY? Was there a specific news item or study that triggered the story? The original idea for PLASTIC SURGERY came from working alongside The Ocean Agency, where I was able to see first hand … Continue reading HOLLYSHORTS SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Guy Trevellyan – Director of PLASTIC SURGERY