The Battle of the Documentary Shorts

(Ranked from most likely to least likely to win, in my opinion)

A documentary short has a bit of a difficult job. It needs to tell information in an interesting fashion while keeping the scope small enough so that it can fit within the length dimensions of a “short.”

This year, it was remarkably accessible to watch all films nominated in the Documentary Short category. Several were available on YouTube, and others were fairly easily to procure on streaming services.

All of them were interesting, and most of them were good. There are some very strong contenders and I feel that I know which of them will take home the Oscars (with the chance of being miserably wrong).

5. The ABCs of Book Banning

I see The ABCs of Book Banning as being the least likely of all the documentary shorts to win the Oscar.

The subject matter is so important, and I believe that handled differently, this would be an extremely compelling contender.

However, this suffers several pitfalls. First-off, it doesn’t narrow its scope enough, as it needed to delve deeply into a contained subject. It discusses the bans quite broadly, and at moments it loses it’s core.

The second and most major pitfall is that is is not well structured. Much of the documentary is a slideshow showing books that have been banned or contested, with animations (similar in quality to a mid-budget YouTube video) showing a stamp on each book. These stamps are inconsistent, and one that they talk about doesn’t receive a stamp, so it’s unclear whether or not it was banned. It felt unpolished.

One thing that shines in the documentary are the interviews conducted with children about books that have been banned, and I believe that if it would have focused in on looking at these books from a child’s point of view, it could have argued stronger and been more emotionally impactful.

Ultimately, I do not believe this will take home the award.

(It’s also only available to watch on Paramount+ which is a bummer)

4. Island in Between

Island in Between is in no way a bad documentary, though I think its chances of winning the award are slim. While I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe it is worth the watch, I think it is less likely to win within this category, due to its inability to deeply explore such a complicated subject.

What Island in Between does have that makes it shine is a personal story of the director’s as the thread that pulls an audience in to understanding the history between Taiwan and China. It opens a door to learning more, though I believe it is the type of story that demands a longer runtime.

3. The Barber of Little Rock

The Barber of Little Rock manages to balance its documentary subject matter incredibly well. Its subject matter is focused on Arlo Washington and the CDFI People Trust, and through this narrowed focus, it’s able to comment on larger issues of discrimination and generational wealth. The focus on Mr. Washington was a wonderful choice for a subject, and what he’s doing for his community is outstanding on its own. However, what this documentary does in exploring his work is show an alternative to our current financial system that works.

It doesn’t do anything groundbreaking in the form of creating a documentary, but it is incredibly capable and every shot looks great. It isn’t a story that needs a longer documentary to explore it, but it does leave you with further questions beyond its scope. This may be my favorite of the five, and I would love to see it win the award, but I think that two others may have a better chance of winning.

2. Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó

This short really exemplifies both the impossibility and necessity of telling personal stories like this in documentary form.

On one hand, it is impossible to have an impartial or distanced take on the documentary subject, because you are an important part of their life. I know that I could never know exactly what my grandparent’s life is like when I’m not around, because being there, I have an influence on their energy and how they spend their time. You can’t garner a full picture of the life of someone you love without you there. There will always be part of the documentary subject’s life that isn’t explored.

But that could also be said of documentaries that are even far removed from the filmmaker, because they too impact their subjects in a variety of ways. With Wang creating this portrait of his grandmothers, it achieves an incredibly personal touch that makes it so endearing. In the specificity, it someone becomes more universal, which is actually what I felt after watching Wang’s Dìdi earlier this year. 

This is the most stylized of the documentaries, which I believe does give it a leg up in the competition. It is well-shot, and has some great cinematography.

It is very possible that this documentary sweep in and win, especially due to the nuanced and emotional detail, as well as the hype Wang has recently garnered and the public love for his grandmothers (who will surely attend the award show). It was very sweet and enjoyable to watch, and it made me think of my own grandmas, which created a deeper emotional impact.

(full documentary available on Disney+)

1. The Last Repair Shop

I feel fairly certain that The Last Repair Shop will win the Oscar for Best Documentary Short. Part of this has to do with the length. I know some critics feel that it is a bit too long for a short (it’s by all technicalities is not), but I think that it feels perfectly timed out. It fully tells the story that was meant to be written, and it isn’t rushed.

Just the concept of making music can be so emotional. The subjects of the documentary have had parts of their lives repaired by music, and they now work to repair instruments. The symmetry of that is incredibly well done, and the emotionality doesn’t feel overwrought. It contrasts these craftsmen with children who have found a home in music. It lets you look at both the past and the future of this shop.

The Last Repair Shop looks fantastic and I will admit: I started crying watching the credits. It is beautiful how music can bring people together, and help people work through the troubles of their lives.

I believe that this documentary will win because of the tenderness it represents its subject matter with, and the emotional depth it finds. Its scope doesn’t extend too far, and it feels like the perfect length to tell its story: like the story was waiting there to be told.