By Ari Howorth
Arts Editor
While almost all of the viewers watching the 85th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 24 were hoping to see their favorite feature films of the year receive recognition, another lesser-known type of film also received recognition: the short.
Oscars are given to both live-action and animated short films, and this year provided a rather diverse crop of nominees.
The animated short films utilized a variety of animation styles to portray unique and often touching stories. Though most of the films were very plot-driven, none of them contained any dialogue.
Among the most unique was “Fresh Guacamole,” a two-minute stop-motion film about a man making guacamole created entirely with household objects. The premise is creative, and the use of these objects is very clever. For example, poker chips are used in lieu of potato chips. Even though it is a short, low-budget film, the fluid manipulation of these objects truly stuns the viewer.
“Head Over Heels” is a touching claymation film about an elderly couple that lives in the same house, both with their own gravitational pull. This intriguing premise allows the film to implement many sight-gags, but still retains the viewer’s emotional attachment to the characters.
“Adam and Dog” is a beautiful film about the Garden of Eden that utilizes stunning watercolor backgrounds and a tranquil music score to tell a heartfelt story. Its impactful narrative and pleasing aesthetic placed it as one of the frontrunners in the category.
The last film is “Paperman,” Disney’s 3-D black-and-white love story that was shown before “Wreck-it Ralph.” It uses an innovative style of animation that combines hand-drawn and computer-generated animation. The combination of the brilliant animation and its compelling storyline allow “Paperman” to deservingly win the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.
The live-action short films are longer than the animated ones, and they cover generally darker subjects as well.
“Henri” is Canada’s submission, and depicts a man’s heartbreaking descent into Alzheimer’s. The viewer is as uninformed as the protagonist, who suffers from hallucinations. The film is compelling and thought-provoking in its portrayal of dementia.
“The Buzkashi Boys”is the first American film, although it was co-produced by an Afghani studio. It tells the story of two boys living in poverty in Afghanistan. They have dreams of being famous athletes and escaping their current situation. The relationship between the them is heartfelt and believable. The film superbly portrays many aspects of poverty-stricken Afghanistan.
“Asad” is the South African submission with a cast made up completely of Somali refugees. It tells the tale of a Somali fisher boy who longs to join the village pirates. It has unexpectedly strong performances, as the naiveté of the children feels shockingly real.
The strongest short film of the year is the American dark comedy “Curfew.” Directed by and starring Shawn Christenson, it follows a suicidal drug addict (Christenson) trying to reconnect with his intelligent nine-year-old niece (Fatima Ptacek). It has one of the wittiest screenplays of the year, which is complemented by two compelling and wonderfully human performances.
While all of the nominated short films of 2012 demonstrate a wide array of talent in filmmaking, it was “Paperman” and “Curfew” that took home the Oscars. All of the nominated short films are enjoyable, and though they are seen by the public, they have a large amount of cultural relevance. 
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