The short film "The Beast" earns a new Chilean Oscar nomination

Chilean animated cinema returns to the Oscars. For the second time in its history, a domestic producer of this type will compete for the highest award in Hollywood after Monster This morning, five nominees were announced for the Best Animated Short Film category at the Academy Awards.

Beating the expectations of media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and Variety, which did not place it among the nominees in their expectations, director Hugo Covarrubias’ film will follow in the footsteps of bear storywhich in 2016 raised the first figurine of an animated film in Latin America.

This time the competitors come from the United States and Europe. Robin RobinNew from studio Aardman (chicken running), as the strongest title, as it has the support of Netflix and is the only family-oriented work. The rest of the contenders are British art affairsAbout a factory worker who wants to become a painter; Russians boxballetabout meeting a dancer and boxer, and the American windshield wiperStarring a man who wonders about love.

Covarrubias’ work examines the changing mental state of a woman who is a member of the repressive apparatus of a military dictatorship. Without dialogues and using stop motion technologyThe 15-minute film describes her daily life: her steps home alone with her dog, the torture she undergoes for detainees and the nightmares that haunt her every night.

Inspired by Ongrid Oldrock, our agent who committed abuses in torture centers like Venda Sexy, production of the short film began in 2018. The original idea comes from a TV series project that never materialized around characters from Chilean history. Martín Erazo, director of theater company La Patogallina, and documentary director Tevo Díaz.

Monster He has completed a popular segment across festivals such as Annecy, Chilemonos, Guadalajara and most recently Sundance, totaling nearly 30 awards at international and local meetings.

One of his best credentials ahead of the Academy Awards is his nomination for Best Animated Short Film at the Annie Awards, considered the most important award for animation, a milestone incidentally none of his current competitors have.

from now on, The film is the fifth Chilean production to receive an Academy Award nomination: number And the wonderful woman They achieved it in Best International Film in 2013 and 2018 (and won it second), bear story in Best Animated Short Film of 2016 (also won Small Bust) and mole agent In the Best Documentary Film of 2021.

And he does that while he’s left on the road us againFrom Disney and South Korea sleeptwo stories with a gentle and emotional focus that appeared as heavyweights according to North American media analysis, but were left out of today’s announcement.

If Covarrubias and his film achieve this distinction, it will be known next Sunday, March 27, when the 94th Academy Awards will be held.