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Breaking: Italian Stop‑Motion Short “Playing God” Joins Oscar Shortlist Race
From a modest lab in Bologna to the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, Matteo Burani’s Playing God is now a contender for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The stop‑motion piece, inspired by Renaissance sculptor Niccolò dell’arca and the laika studio’s aesthetic, entered the Oscar qualification pool after a string of festival victories.
Synopsis
Set in a shadow‑filled laboratory, the film follows a tormented sculptor who assembles enigmatic clay creatures. when the creator deems his masterpiece imperfect and abandons it,the sculpture rebels,self‑destructs,and ultimately finds kinship among other outcasts.
Production Journey
The project launched with a crowdfunding campaign before securing support from the
