Nina Gantz Competes for Oscar with Unique Animated Short

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Nina Gantz, director of the animated short film “Wander to Wonder,” finds herself in the spotlight as she vies for an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film tonight. Gantz, whose unique storytelling blends humor and sadness, admits she never considered that an Oscar nomination would be an option for her.

Her film tells the story of three tiny characters struggling to navigate life after the death of their beloved television host. Over the course of 11 minutes, Gantz captures their chaotic emotions, transitioning from stoic acceptance to total disarray.

“For me, the best humor comes from sadness,” Gantz said before the ceremony. “Since my films often tackle heavy subjects, I think it’s best to approach them lightly. There needs to be a kind of contrast.”

The inspiration for this bizarre narrative stems from the BBC’s Jimmy Savile abuse scandal, which darkened the childhood memories of an entire generation. In “Wander to Wonder,” Gantz merges nostalgia and innocence with themes of alienation and disgust.

The film’s evolution was a lengthy process for Gantz, who spent eight years developing the story. The pivotal moment came when she radically restructured the narrative—initially focusing on the series creator, she realized that the character’s death would give the film its emotional direction. His tragic and comedic demise emphasizes the isolation felt by the bereft characters.

A personal loss during the COVID-19 pandemic further informed her storytelling. “I saw how everyone dealt with their own grief differently. Some felt liberated after a long struggle, while others clung tightly to their loved one’s legacy. That theme definitely found its way into the story,” she remarked.

Gantz employed a combination of stop motion animation and live-action performance, a technique reminiscent of legendary special effects artist Ray Harryhausen, known for his work in classics like “Jason and the Argonauts” (1963) and “Clash of the Titans” (1981). “I loved how the tangible, manual work of stop motion remains visible yet looks incredibly convincing,” she explained.

However, the process was anything but simple. Stop motion requires 25 photographs to be taken for each second of film, demanding minute adjustments for each character. Gantz followed a strict guideline of just four seconds of film per day.

Creating a scene with a falling jar of pickles was particularly challenging: each of the twenty pickles and every shard needed to be repositioned on its own pedestal, with silicone used to mimic the spilling juice. “It tested my patience, but I also found it meditative,” Gantz said. “I never think about how many frames I’ve completed because that would make me miserable. But it’s also magical: you hold a puppet in your hands that does nothing, yet as you piece together frame by frame with voices, they come to life. That’s exhilarating.”

Whether her work will earn her an Oscar remains to be seen. Gantz maintains a humble perspective regarding her chances. “I’m quite level-headed about it,” she stated from Los Angeles. “It’s already very special that we’re here. That’s something you carry with you for life.”