Because short films are often overlooked in favor of feature-length films, the Ryder Magazine and Film Series is screening this year’s 15 Oscar-nominated short films in order to raise awareness of them, Ryder founder Peter LoPilato said.
Last weekend the Ryder Series began its sixth annual Oscar Short Film Festival. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays leading up to the 88th annual Academy Awards on Feb. 28, the group is screening the films nominated for Best Documentary (Short Subject), Best Short Film (Animated) and Best Short Film (Live Action).
The Ryder is doing multiple screenings of all 15 films over the next three weekends.
LoPilato said the film festival is necessary to help inform Bloomington residents on these short films.
“You can see most of the features at the multiplex,” he said. “For the most part, you can’t see the short films anywhere else.”
These films are grouped into programs respective to their nomination categories. A $5 ticket guarantees entrance into one program, but a $10 Oscar Pass allows entrance to all three programs and is redeemable on different nights and different weekends.
Children ages six and under do not need tickets.
These films, which come from different parts of the world, represent different cultures and different societies, LoPilato said.
“I’d like to think that, in a very small way, international films promote diversity and cultural understanding,” he said. “Especially in the age that we live in today, those are important things.”
On Fridays and Saturdays, the films will be screened at the IU Fine Arts building. On Sunday evenings, the films will be screened at Bear’s Place.
Because of The Ryder’s busy schedule, LoPilato said Sunday screenings at Bear’s Place have become part of their normal policy.
“We show films 50 weeks out of the year,” he said. “We only skip Christmas and New Years. That’s it.”
On Feb. 21, the live action and animated films will be screened at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
Over the past six years, LoPilato said the animated films have generally been more popular than the live action and documentary films. Although the animated films often contain adult themes, he said these screenings have become a family event.
“I think animated films in 2015 are more sophisticated than they were 20 years ago, and I’m not just talking about technologically sophisticated,” he said. “They’re written and conceived to appeal to adults, although their target audience is still children.”
At the end of each program, viewers have the opportunity to vote for the film they believe will win the Academy Award. A free ticket to a Ryder film will be given to correct predictions, and winners will be entered into a drawing for a dinner for two.
Along with the five animated shorts that will be screened, The Ryder will screen five additional films they believe deserved a nomination. Because the animated films are shorter than the live action and documentary films, LoPilato said they chose to include some shortlisted films as well.
LoPilato said short films are an important form that can tell a powerful story in a short period of time.
“These are the best that came out last year,” he said. “They have all of the passion and intelligence and resonance and complexity as most feature-length films that we will see this year.”
