Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Aaron Blaise Shares His Favorite Shot From ‘Snow Bear’ (EXCLUSIVE)

We invited the filmmakers behind each of this year’s 15 Oscar-shortlisted animated shorts to share their favorite shot from their film and explain why it’s special to them.

Nomination voting starts on January 12 and runs through January 16.

In this piece, Disney legend Aaron Blaise talks to us about his favorite shot from Snow Bear, a traditional hand-drawn marvel that screened at several top festivals, including Annecy, Tribeca, and Zagreb – winning the Best Film for Children prize at the latter.

Here’s Blaise’s favorite shot, and what he had to say about it:

Choosing just a single shot was tough, but ultimately I chose this shot for a few reasons. First, from an animation and acting standpoint, I like it because it’s about subtlety. The animation is intentionally very held back. I wanted it to be about what the character is thinking & feeling rather than just broad action or a pretty picture.

From a story standpoint, this is THE MOMENT. This is when our bear realizes that his cause is lost, and now it’s time to accept fate and say goodbye. You see a brief glimpse of false hope as he attempts to reattach the ear, and then his expression changes into one of sad acceptance.

They talk about the stages of grief, and this scene is ALL about that. There is denial, anger, and acceptance all in a few moments. Hopefully, this is where the emotion of the story is hitting the audience the hardest. Our common feelings are what create empathy, and that is what I want to do most with my art.

This is something that I personally went through. I remember crying while animating this scene because it was bringing me back to a very real moment I had experienced. Grief and loss are universal emotions. If I’ve done my job right, not only is the audience feeling for our bear, but they are feeling this for themselves.

I also chose this shot because it captures the environmental aspect of the film. That is something that I did not want to beat people over the head with, but the idea of a polar bear adrift in a vast ocean is very much a reality of our times. I hope that this film, with no dialogue, allows us to use our voices and speak up for our planet and our fellow earthlings who cannot speak for themselves. Ultimately, if we act, there is still hope. That, too, is what Snow Bear is all about.