The Riviera Theatre is a staple of downtown Three Rivers, and so too is its longstanding tradition of screening live action, animated, and documentary Oscar Shorts. Since 2008 the Riviera has brought a piece of Hollywood to St. Joseph County, and while the pandemic interrupted this popular series, Oscar Shorts are set to return tonight, Thursday, March 3 beginning at 6 p.m.
The dates, hours, and films that will be presented at the Riviera are listed below:
Live Action
Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Live Action
March 3, 11 : 6 pm
March 4, 12 : 8 pm
121 Minutes. Rating equivalent of R for adult themes, violence, and language.
Tickets: $8 Adults, $7 Student/Senior
On My Mind
Martin Strange-Hansen and Kim Magnusson, Denmark, 18 min.
A desperate and loving husband wants to sing and record a karaoke version of the song his wife loves the most, and which symbolizes their bond the best. It leads to heartbreak, sorrow and regret.
Please Hold
K.D. Dávila and Levin Menekse, USA, 19 min.
A young man’s life is suddenly and inexplicably derailed as he finds himself at the mercy of automated “justice.”
The Dress
Tadeusz Łysiak and Maciej Ślesicki, Poland, 30 min.
A lonely maid with dwarfism toils at her thankless job at a rundown hotel until a truck driver seems to take an interest in getting to know her.
The Long Goodbye
Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed, UK/Netherlands, 12 min.
An immigrant family in Britain is preparing its home for a wedding celebration, until a right-wing march spirals out of control and chaos erupts.
Ala Kachuu – Take and Run
Maria Brendle and Nadine Lüchinger, Kyrgyzstan/Switzerland, 38 min.
Sezim wants to fulfil her dream of studying in the Kyrgyz capital when she gets kidnapped by a group of young men. There, she’s forced to marry a stranger. If she refuses the marriage, she is threatened with social stigmatization and exclusion.
Animation
Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Animation
March 4, 10 : 6 pm
March 5 : 8 pm
March 11 : 8:30 pm
97 Minutes. Rating equivalent of R; no children should be admitted under any circumstances.
Tickets: $8 Adults, $7 Student/Senior
Robin Robin
Dan Ojari and Mikey Please, UK, 32 min.
Raised by a family of mice, an optimistic young robin makes a heartfelt wish upon a Christmas star.
Boxballet
Anton Dyakov, Russia, 15 min
Despite the sharp contrast between their worlds, a rough and surly boxer and a delicate ballerina forge a tentative friendship.
Affairs of the Art
Joanna Quinn and Les Mills, UK/Canada, 16 min.
Fifty-nine-year-old factory worker Beryl is totally obsessed with drawing, and her fixation dominates the entire household. Apart from her husband, Ivor, Beryl’s model and muse, every member of the family is addicted to something.
Bestia
Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz, Chile, 15 min.
Ingrid is a secret police agent working during the Chilean military dictatorship. Through small, everyday details, both Ingrid’s mind and the nation are revealed as fractured.
The Windshield Wiper
Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez, USA/Spain, 14 min.
Inside a cafe while smoking a whole pack of cigarettes, a man poses an ambitious question: “What is Love?”
Documentary
Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Documentary
March 5, 12 : 4:30 pm
160 Minutes. Rating equivalent of PG-13 or R for adult themes and topics.
Tickets: $8 Adults, $7 Student/Senior
Audible
Matt Ogens and Geoff McLean, USA, 39 min.
Shaken by a friend’s suicide, a deaf high school football player copes with family and relationships while anticipating his final homecoming game.
When We Were Bullies
Jay Rosenblatt, USA/Germany, 36 min.
A coincidence leads filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt to track down his fifth-grade class and fifth-grade teacher to examine their memory of and complicity in a bullying incident 50 years ago.
Three Songs for Benazir
Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei, Afghanistan, 22 min.
The story of Shaista, a young man who — newly married to Benazir and living in a camp for displaced persons in Kabul — struggles to balance his dreams of joining the Afghan National Army with the responsibilities of starting a family.
Lead Me Home
Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk, USA, 39 min.
Fighting just to survive, California’s homeless population suffers as housing costs soar, pushing more of the disadvantaged onto the streets.
The Queen of Basketball
Ben Proudfoot, USA, 22 min.
Lusia “Lucy” Harris Stewart is a pioneer in women’s basketball, leading a rural Mississippi college to three national titles, scoring the first basket in women’s Olympic history in 1976, being the first and only woman to be drafted into the NBA.
Danielle Hensley is a freelance writer and intern for Watershed Voice. She also writes her own blog called “Whatever the Eff I Want.” She enjoys spending time with family and bingeing Netflix.
