Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.

AWARDS PREDICTION COMMENTARY: The shorts are always wild cards, with no precursor to help identify the front-runner. In animated short, most are predicting Netflix’s “If Anything Happens I Love You,” but there’s been a lot of positive praise for “Opera” that could help it slip by.

Will win: “Opera” – Erick Oh
Could win: “If Anything Happens I Love You”
Should win: “If Anything Happens I Love You”
Should have been here: “Out”

AND THE NOMINEES ARE:

1. "Opera" (Beasts and Natives Alike)

   

   PRODUCERS: To be announced
DIRECTOR: Erick Oh
SYNOPSIS: Driven by the spirits of Bosch, Michelangelo, Botticelli and more, Erick portrays, in his own signature whimsical and surreal way, the human society and history, filled with beauty and absurdity.
STARRING: None

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2. "If Anything Happens I Love You" (Netflix)

   

   PRODUCERS: Gerald Chamales, Maryann Garger, Gary Gilbert, Michael Govier
DIRECTOR: Michael Govier, Will McCormack
SYNOPSIS: "If Anything Happens I Love You" is a beautifully illustrated animated short film that takes us on an extraordinary emotional journey of two parents struggling to overcome the hurt left by a tragic event that leaves their family changed forever.
STARRING: None

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3. "Burrow" (Disney Plus/Pixar)

   

   PRODUCERS: Mike Capbarat
DIRECTOR: Madeline Sharafian
SYNOPSIS: A young rabbit tries to build the burrow of her dreams, becoming embarrassed each time she accidentally digs into a neighbor's home.
STARRING: None

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4. "Genius Loci" (Kazak Productions)

   

   PRODUCERS: Amaury Ovise
DIRECTOR: Adrien Mérigeau
SYNOPSIS: One night, Reine, a young loner, sees the urban chaos as a mystical oneness that seems alive, like some sort of guide.
STARRING: Nadia Moussa, Georgia Cusack, Jina Djemba

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5. "Yes-People" (CAOZ hf. Hólamói)

   

   PRODUCERS: Arnar Gunnarsson, Gísli Darri Halldórsson
DIRECTOR: Gísli Darri Halldórsson
SYNOPSIS: One morning an eclectic mix of people face the everyday battle - such as work, school and dish-washing. As the day progresses, their relationships are tested and ultimately their capacity to cope.
STARRING: None

AWARDS CATEGORY HISTORY (Best Animated Short)

The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. The most awarded films in Oscar history are “Ben-Hur,” “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” at 11 statuettes. The most nominated films in Academy history are “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land” at 14. “La La Land” is the only film of the three to have lost best picture. The biggest Oscar “losers,” meaning most nominated and walk away with zero awards, are 1977’s “The Turning Point” and 1985’s “The Color Purple” at 11 each. Walt Disney has the most wins in this category with 12 and nominations at 39. The shortest winning film ever is 1971’s “The Crunch Bird” at two minutes while 2007’s “Peter & the Wolf” is the longest at 33 minutes. 2012’s “Fresh Guacamole” is the shortest ever nominated at one minute and forty-four seconds.

About the Academy Awards (Oscars)

The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. Since 1927, nominees and winners are selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 17 branches are represented within the near 10,000 person membership. The branches are actors, associates, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, documentary, executives, film editors, makeup and hairstylists, marketing and public relations, members-at-large, members-at-large (artists’ representatives), music, producers, production design, short films and feature animation, sound, visual effects and writers.

About the Golden Globes

The Golden Globes Awards, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, is held annually with 93 members since 1944. The group recognizes excellence in film and television across drama and comedy or musical categories. Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” holds the record for the most awards won by a single film with seven. Milos Forman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and Alan Parker’s “Midnight Express” are next in line with six each. Robert Altman’s “Nashville” has the record for most nominations received by a film with 11 while Colin Higgins’ “Foul Play,” Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part III” and Mike Nichols’ “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” share the record for receiving the most nominations and not winning a single award at seven.

About the SAG Awards

The Screen Actors Guild Awards, hosted by SAG-AFTRA, is an annual award show that has become one of the most important and key indicators for the Oscars. Four films have won the most SAG awards with three: 1999’s “American Beauty,” 2002’s “Chicago,” 2011’s “The Help” and 2017’s “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Three movies have been nominated for the most SAG awards with five: 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love,” “Chicago” and 2008’s “Doubt.”

Source: https://variety.com/feature/2021-oscars-best-animated-short-film-predictions-1234915121/