Short films from both Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar are eligible for a 2023 Oscars nomination in the best live-action short category.
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As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Swift’s All Too Well: A Short Film, written and directed by the singer, gained eligibility through a November 2021 screening at New York’s AMC Lincoln Square. The screening fell within the category’s window of eligibility – October 1, 2021, to September 20, 2022.
Lamar earned his eligibility when he quietly screened a six-minute video for his Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers track “We Cry Together” at Los Angeles’ Laemmle Royal Theatre in June. The song and visual featured actress Taylour Paige.
THR noted that We Cry Together was only shown once a day during the weeklong screening, with each showing largely occupied by friends and family of the rapper. A very limited number of fans were permitted to each showing with their cellphones confiscated upon entry. It’s not yet known if the short film will have a more public release.
Although both of their screenings have given them Oscars eligibility, it does not guarantee them a nomination in the short film category.
When Swift screened All Too Well at the Tribeca Film Festival back in June, she said of the 10-minute visual, “This is not a music video. We approached everything differently.” The song behind the visual has also generated some awards buzz. Though the track was originally released in 2014, the new extended version is eligible for a Grammy nomination as it is technically “a new recording.”
Long dominated by rarely seen film festival fare, the short film category has been uprooted by big names in recent years, with the late Kobe Bryant (Best Animated Short for Dear Basketball) and Riz Ahmed (Best Live Action Short for co-directing The Long Goodbye) taking home to honor for their shorts.
The Academy has announced that the 95th Oscars will take place on March 12, 2023. The show will air live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The nominations will be announced early next year on January 24.
Watch Swift’s All Too Well below.
YouTube screenshot from “All Too Well (Sad Girl Autumn Version)” by Taylor Swift
