#207. The big value of short films

While the biggest Oscar buzz is reserved for flashy celebs and viral moments, a category usually overshadowed by those little golden statues is “Best Animated Short Film.”Animated shorts provide a masterclass in highly efficient storytelling, interesting visuals and proof that a film's runtime doesn't have to be over 2 hours to win an award (THERE, I said it!!). Ranging from silly to heavy to wholesome, this year's nominees include incredible Wallace & Gromit-style stop-motion (The Girl Who Cried Pearls) and Domhnall Gleeson's sweet Irish voice narrating a classic 2D hand-drawn style (Retirement Plan). Filmmaker and Designer Asha Alaji-Sharif joins Molly on this special podcast episode to dissect the storytelling strategies—both visual and structural—employed in these films and what we, as business-minded presentation enthusiasts, can learn from them.This is an episode for: designers and visual strategists, animation fans and anyone that gets inspired by film.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? The five Oscar-nominated Animated Short Films from 2026The Girl Who Cried PearlsRetirement PlanForevergreenButterfly (Papillon)The Three Sisters (We don’t believe this is anywhere online so we didn’t watch. If you have a link or know where to stream, please reach out!) Where to follow Asha’s work:On InstagramAt the Atlanta Film Festival - she is starring in 500 Seconds To Tell YouHer own film, The Four Noble Truths, just won the award for Best Social Impact Documentary at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival