By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The 2020 Oscars are quickly approaching but you do not have to wait to see some of the nominated films.

Starting Feb. 7, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts will be hosting the “Oscar Shorts 2020: Animated” and “Oscar Shorts 2020: Live Action” and on Feb. 21, will hosts Oscar Shorts 2020: Documentary A and Oscar Shorts 2020: Documentary B.

Or if you would like to take a little road trip on Feb. 9 — the day of the Oscars show — the Tibbits Classic Film Series will once again showcase the 2020 Academy Award nominees for best animated and live action short films on at Tibbits Opera House.

A short film is any motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits, per guidelines set forth by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In the past, short films generally relied on exhibitions at festivals to reach an audience. This is still the case for the most part, with the short films being shown at Sundance and Cannes, the biggest festivals.

Animation really took advantage of the short film format when Warner Brothers and Disney began putting short cartoons before all of the studios’ feature length films. This is a tradition that Pixar has carried over to the present day by screening a short along with each of its feature films during its initial theatrical run since 1995.

Showtimes for UICA, located at 2 W. Fulton St., vary. Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for UICA members. Visit uica.org for more information on the Oscar nominated shorts film series, other film series, exhibitions and events.

The Tibbits Opera House, located at 14 S. Hancheet St., Coldwater, will be Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. the cost is $8. Tibbets Classic Film Series showcases Hollywood classics from such genres as sci-fi, film noir, musicals, comedies, and mysteries. All other showing to the Classic Film Series are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit Tibbits.org or call 517-278-6029.