Oscars 2017: Predicting The Winners
5. Best Animated Short
Will Win: Borrowed Time Should Win: Borrowed Time Surprise Win: Pearl
Pixar usually takes home the prize for Best Animated Film, but having been shut out in that category then it might win, in a roundabout way, for Borrowed Time.
Pixar artists Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj took 5 years to create this heartbreaking drama in their spare time, and such dedication to story and visuals shows.
This Dark Western utilises the best of classic filmmaking from a genre that is known for its harsh landscapes and portraying the bleak reality of a frontier lifestyle, and it harnesses it through modern technology. This is a mature short that is every bit as good as its feature-length, family-friendly counterparts. It is hard to imagine any other film beating Borrowed Time.
Many of the nominations this year across all categories indicated a desire by the Academy to encourage diversity and supporting the next generation of creatives. VR adventure Pearl managed to break new ground - whilst telling a compelling story proving such technology to be more than just a gimmick - and a win over Borrowed Time might suggest the Academy really trying to embrace the future, starting with the less renowned categories.