After Hours Film Society Presents
2026 Oscar Nominated Shorts
February 23 | 7:30 pm
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A compilation of five Oscar-nominated live action films from around the world
Running Time: 110 mins. Rated PG-13 |
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“A ferociously clever film full of big surprises.”
–Slug Magazine “James Sweeney’s film is delightfully diabolical.” –The Wrap ““James Sweeney’s film is masterfully crafted.” –Collider |
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MOVIE REVIEW
2026 Oscar® Nominated Live Action Shorts
After Hours is delighted to bring the Oscar-Nominated live-action shorts to our screen once again. This year’s nominees showcase filmmakers who can build a world, break your heart, or shift your perspective in under forty minutes. Discover the films everyone else will be talking about before the rest of the world catches up. And the nominees are:
Butcher’s Stain: A Palestinian Israeli butcher working in a Tel Aviv supermarket is accused of tearing down hostage posters, and suddenly the job he depends on becomes a battleground. The film unfolds with a sharp, lived in sense of tension, revealing how quickly suspicion can harden into danger. A gripping portrait of a man trying to hold onto dignity in a world determined to strip it away.
A Friend of Dorothy: A lonely widow and a teenage boy strike up an unexpected friendship after a stray football lands in her garden. What starts as a small interruption becomes a gentle, intergenerational bond that softens the edges of both their lives. The film glows with the simple pleasure of being seen — sometimes by the person you least expect.
Jane Austen’s Period Drama: A Regency era romance goes delightfully sideways when a woman gets her period mid proposal, exposing her suitor’s spectacular ignorance. With sharp wit and a modern pulse beneath its corsets, the film skewers centuries of misinformation with a wink. It’s fizzy, clever, and joyfully irreverent.
The Singers: In a remote pub, a group of rough edged men drift into an impromptu sing off that reveals more than any of them intend. What begins as bluster becomes something unexpectedly vulnerable, as voices crack open the emotional lives they rarely share. A small, resonant gem about the strange ways music lets us tell the truth.
Two People Exchanging Saliva: In a society where kissing is punishable by death and purchases are made through slaps to the face, a discontented woman becomes fascinated by a playful salesgirl. Their connection sparks suspicion in a world built on surveillance and fear. The film is darkly funny, sharply imagined, and quietly rebellious — a love story smuggled into a dystopia.
2026 Oscar® Nominated Live Action Shorts
After Hours is delighted to bring the Oscar-Nominated live-action shorts to our screen once again. This year’s nominees showcase filmmakers who can build a world, break your heart, or shift your perspective in under forty minutes. Discover the films everyone else will be talking about before the rest of the world catches up. And the nominees are:
Butcher’s Stain: A Palestinian Israeli butcher working in a Tel Aviv supermarket is accused of tearing down hostage posters, and suddenly the job he depends on becomes a battleground. The film unfolds with a sharp, lived in sense of tension, revealing how quickly suspicion can harden into danger. A gripping portrait of a man trying to hold onto dignity in a world determined to strip it away.
A Friend of Dorothy: A lonely widow and a teenage boy strike up an unexpected friendship after a stray football lands in her garden. What starts as a small interruption becomes a gentle, intergenerational bond that softens the edges of both their lives. The film glows with the simple pleasure of being seen — sometimes by the person you least expect.
Jane Austen’s Period Drama: A Regency era romance goes delightfully sideways when a woman gets her period mid proposal, exposing her suitor’s spectacular ignorance. With sharp wit and a modern pulse beneath its corsets, the film skewers centuries of misinformation with a wink. It’s fizzy, clever, and joyfully irreverent.
The Singers: In a remote pub, a group of rough edged men drift into an impromptu sing off that reveals more than any of them intend. What begins as bluster becomes something unexpectedly vulnerable, as voices crack open the emotional lives they rarely share. A small, resonant gem about the strange ways music lets us tell the truth.
Two People Exchanging Saliva: In a society where kissing is punishable by death and purchases are made through slaps to the face, a discontented woman becomes fascinated by a playful salesgirl. Their connection sparks suspicion in a world built on surveillance and fear. The film is darkly funny, sharply imagined, and quietly rebellious — a love story smuggled into a dystopia.
DISCUSSION FOLLOWS EVERY FILM!
$7.00 Members | $11.00 Non-Members
TIVOLI THEATRE
5021 Highland Avenue | Downers Grove, IL
630-968-0219 | classiccinemas.com
We apologize—Movie Pass cannot be used for AHFS programs
$7.00 Members | $11.00 Non-Members
TIVOLI THEATRE
5021 Highland Avenue | Downers Grove, IL
630-968-0219 | classiccinemas.com
We apologize—Movie Pass cannot be used for AHFS programs
