We’re looking at each individual category for the Oscars and what our thoughts are going into the final stretch. Below are our predictions in Best Live Action Short Film.

Best Live Action Short Film

Winner Predictions

• Butcher’s Stain
• A Friend of Dorothy (PP) (TL) [New]
• Jane Austen’s Period Drama (WL)
• The Singers
• Two People Exchanging Saliva

Runner-Up Predictions

• A Friend of Dorothy (WL) [New]
• Jane Austen’s Period Drama (PP)
• Two People Exchanging Saliva (TL) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: I honestly think that Jane Austen seems like a no-brainer. It’s hilarious, well produced, well acted. It has all the best things that Oscar voters love. The problem will be if there’s a male backlash to its decidedly feminine feel. That kind of frank discourse doesn’t appeal to some segments of the male population and they might sidle up to The Singers which is largely a masculine affair. They might also go after Butcher’s Stain. That said, I think the more likely runner-up is A Friend of Doroty, which is also a strong production with a heartwarming feel. That goes a long way with Oscar voters too. I won’t count out Two People Exchanging Saliva, but I doubt it will be “gotten” by enough people to pull into the lead.
Pete Patrick: Choosing between the delightful A Friend of Dorothy and the hilarious Jane Austen’s Period Drama is a difficult task but one or the other should win.
Thomas La Tourrette: Often the winning live action short film has also been the longest, which might help Two People Exchanging Saliva win the Oscar. It is a complex story that creates a bizarre world and boasts stunning sets. However, I am thinking that the sweet natured A Friend of Dorothy that deals with acting, aging, friendship, and LGBTQ issues is more likely to win. It boasts British acting royalty in Miriam Margolyes and Stephen Fry. An unexpected friendship develops between two disparate people, and it was lovely to watch it unfold. Jane Austen’s Period Comedy will get some votes because it was laugh out loud funny, but probably not enough to win. There is a chance it will go to Two People Exchanging Saliva, but I am betting on A Friend of Dorothy to triumph.

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