2022 Oscar-Nominated Documentary Shorts
The Queen of Basketball
by Ben Proudfoot
The story: Lucy Harris ruled women’s college basketball in the 1970s, led Mississippi’s Delta State University to three consecutive national championships, and was the first woman to be drafted by an NBA team when the New Orleans Jazz attempted to bring her into the league.
In short: Another year, another solid short by Proudfoot and the New York Times that’s probably too grounded and not flashy enough to stand a chance at winning the Oscar. Similar to the approach in last year’s shoulda-won “A Concerto is a Conversation,” the film finds the charismatic Harris speaking directly to the camera but is nicely complemented by archival footage of her kicking major butt on the court. While Harris’ post-basketball life could stand to be fleshed out in greater detail, Proudfoot makes good on validating his subject’s titular label and, most valuably, educates modern viewers on a groundbreaking historical figure who remains unknown to many ardent sports fans. Grade: B-plus —Edwin Arnaudin
Three Songs for Benazir
By Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei
The story: A young refugee and his wife struggle to survive in war-torn Afghanistan.
In short: Small utterances such as, “You’re either bombed by the foreigners or killed by the Taliban,” may be the backbone of this films, but it never quite lives up to the power of this chilling revelation. Still, it’s hard not to sympathize with Shaista, an Afghan refugee and new husband, as he grapples with the prospects of married life and fatherhood under such harsh conditions. To earn money, his choices are few: he can harvest opium, or he can join the Afghan National Army. It’s in the aftermath of this choice that Three Songs for Benazir becomes somewhat directionless, but even in its potentially disheartening epilogue, Shaista remains hopeful his family will one day thrive. Grade: B —James Rosario
Lead Me Home
by Jon Shenk and Pedro Kos
The story: A chronicle of the homelessness epidemics in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle from 2017-20.
In short: Using an impressive mix of one-on-one interviews, fly-on-the-wall footage, and drone shots to convey the diverse scope of the matter, the filmmakers excel at humanizing this difficult subject and illustrating a reality that’s becoming increasingly visible in U.S. cities. The brave souls willing to let their guards down in front of the camera present a range of heartbreaking and relatable stories, and make a compelling case for swift actions to ease their suffering. Grade: B-plus —Edwin Arnaudin
Audible
by Matthew Ogens
The story: As the Maryland School for the Deaf contemplates its first gridiron loss in quite some time, senior Amaree guides us through a challenging world that includes the tragic suicide of one of their own.
In short: While not exactly my cup of tea from a visual standpoint, Audible remains a compelling story with no shortage of heart. With topics ranging from the rather harmless pitfalls of high school life to deeper matters such as absentee fathers, at-risk teens, and suicide, the film packs a lot into just under 40 minutes. With this much material — plus all the drama on the football field — Audible can sometimes feel scattered and chaotic, but not quite enough to cloud the optimism of its messaging. If you can get past that it looks like it was shot by an Instagram influencer (a tough task for me), it’s a hard film not to like on some level. Grade: B-minus —James Rosario
When We Were Bullies
by Jay Rosenblatt
The story: Haunted by a schoolyard bullying incident he instigated as a youth, the director seeks to make amends through the power of film.
In short: Rosenblatt’s intentions are admirable and the stop-motion animation by Jeremy Rourke is nothing short of marvelous, but humble as the director presents himself, the entire project reeks of smugness and and builds to multiple cringe-inducing crescendos at the prospect of the now-adult target of his torment making an appearance. While the topic is important and several emotionally-rich revelations arise along the way, the whole thing feels like a discarded Ross McElwee concept and raises more questions than answers. Grade: C-plus —Edwin Arnaudin
Overall grade: B. Not rated, but with adult themes and language. Now playing at Grail Moviehouse
