Oscars Predictions: Best Animated Short – Charming ‘Snail and the Whale’ Takes On the Emotional ‘If Anything Happens I Love You’

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.

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2021 OSCARS PREDICTIONS:
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

UPDATED: Feb. 25, 2021

AWARDS PREDICTION COMMENTARY: The Academy announced the shortlist for the animated short contenders, and they produced an interesting crop of selections. Netflix is placing all their power and influence behind the emotional “If Anything Happens I Love You.” At the same time, Magic Light Pictures’ “The Snail and the Whale” is audacious and beautiful with its colorful and slick animation, featuring familiar talents such as Oscar-nominee Sally Hawkins and Rob Brydon as our adorable characters. It also helps that one of its co-directors, Max Lang is a previous two-time nominee for “The Gruffalo” (2009) and “Room on the Broom” (2012) but has yet to win. “Kapaemahu” also has the visual razzle-dazzle to make the lineup, but as we can expect from AMPAS voters, surprises can always occur. It’s still uncertain which of the Disney efforts will rally support if any. “Out” has the timely factor going for it, while “Burrow” could be one of the most seen by the branch members. Let’s see where it all lands.

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AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE:

  1. "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

  2. "The Snail and the Whale" (Magic Light Pictures)

    PRODUCERS: Michael Rose, Martin Pope
    DIRECTOR: Max Lang, Daniel Snaddon
    SYNOPSIS: A tiny snail goes on an amazing journey by hitching a ride on the tail of a huge humpback whale. Based on the picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
    STARRING:Diana Rigg, Sally Hawkins, Rob Brydon

  3. "Kapaemahu" (The Animation Showcase)

    PRODUCERS: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu
    DIRECTOR: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu
    SYNOPSIS: Kapaemahu reveals the healing power of four mysterious stones on Waikiki Beach - and the legendary dual male and female spirits within them.
    STARRING: None

  4. "Out" (Disney Plus)

    PRODUCERS: Max Sachar
    DIRECTOR: Steven Clay Hunter
    SYNOPSIS: On an average day, Greg's life is filled with family, love and a rambunctious little dog - but despite all of this, Greg has a secret. Today is different, because he might learn that he has nothing to hide.
    STARRING: Bernadette Sullivan, Kyle McDaniel, Caleb Cabrera

  5. "Opera" (Beasts and Natives Alike)

    PRODUCERS: Philippe Carcassonne, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt
    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

NEXT IN LINE:

  1. "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

  2. "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

  3. "To Gerard" (DreamWorks Animation)

    PRODUCERS: Amaury Ovise
    DIRECTOR: Taylor Meacham
    SYNOPSIS: A sprightly elderly man brightens the day of a little girl through magic.
    STARRING: Piotr Michael

  4. "Traces" (Les Films du Nord)

    PRODUCERS: Arnaud Demuynck
    DIRECTOR: Hugo Frassetto, Sophie Tavert Macian
    SYNOPSIS: 36,000 years ago in the Ardèche river gorge, when an animal was painted, it was hunted. When it is time to go painting and hunting, Karou the Painter and his apprentice Lani set off to paint the walls of the great cavern. But they hadn't counted on meeting a cave lion.
    STARRING: None

  5. "Yes-People" (CAOZ hf. Hólamói)

    PRODUCERS: Arnar Gunnarsson, Gísli Darri Halldórsson
    DIRECTOR: Gísli Darri Halldórsson
    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

AWARDS CATEGORY HISTORY

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.


Academy Awards Predictions (All Categories)

2021 Golden Globes Predictions (Film)

2021 SAG Awards Predictions (Film)


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.

  • The Oscars are scheduled for Sunday, April 25, 2021.

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.

  • The Golden Globes are scheduled for Feb. 28, 2021.

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.”

  • The SAG Awards are scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 4, 2021

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