Perfectly a Strangeness
2024 short film by Alison McAlpine
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Perfectly a Strangeness (stylised in lowercase) is a 2024 experimental documentary short film written and directed by Alison McAlpine.[1] It was largely filmed at La Silla Observatory, a European Southern Observatory (ESO) site in Chile, with some shots filmed further north at ESO's Paranal Observatory.[2]
| Perfectly a Strangeness | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Alison McAlpine |
| Written by | Alison McAlpine |
| Cinematography | Nicolas Canniccioni |
| Edited by | Carolina Siraqyan |
| Music by | Ben Grossman |
Production company | Second Sight Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 15 minutes |
| Countries | Canada Chile |
The short had its world premiere at the Short Films Competition of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or. At the 98th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Documentary Short Film.
Summary
The Cannes Film Festival summary says: "In the dazzling incandescence of an unknown desert, three donkeys discover an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe. A sensorial, cinematic exploration of what a story can be."[3]
Release
The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival,[4] and had its North American Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[1] It has since travelled to over 70 international film festivals, playing in 27 countries[5] and winning 19 awards.[6] “One of the most cinematic documentaries of the year”, according to Deadline Hollywood writer Matthew Carey,[7] Perfectly a Strangeness was nominated by Cinema Eye Honors for Best Nonfiction Short Film of 2026,[8] and nominated by the 2026 Academy Awards for Best Short Documentary Film.[9][10]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organization | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chicago International Film Festival | Silver Hugo Documentary Short Film 2024 | Won | [6] |
| Festival du nouveau cinéma | National Competition Grand Prize | Won | [11] | |
| Science New Wave Festival | Theme-Sensitive Award | Won | [6] | |
| Thess International Short Film Festival | Cinematic Achievement Award | Won | ||
| FIEV | Best Quebec Short Film-Jury Prize | Won | ||
| 2025 | Academy Awards | Short Documentary Shortlist | Shortlisted | [12] |
| Full Frame Jury | Award for Best Short Oscar Qualifying | Won | [11] | |
| Cinema Eye Honors | Nonfiction Short Film | Nominated | [6] | |
| IDA Documentary Awards | Best Short Documentary Special Mention | Won | ||
| Full Frame Documentary Film Festival | The John Franklin Humanities Institute Award | Won | ||
| Toronto International Film Festival | Canada's Top Ten | Won | [13] | |
| Trento Film Festival | Silver Gentian, Best Artistic Technical Contribution | Won | [6] | |
| i-Fest International Film Festival | Best Direction Short | Won | ||
| Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma | Best Short Film | Won | ||
| Nevada City Film Festival | Best Cinematography | Won | ||
| Tramway Film Festival | Best Film, Cine Sinn Fine | Won | ||
| Athens International Film + Video Festival | From the Booth Award | Won | ||
| Festival Internacional de Cine de Medio Ambiente de Canarias | Best Short Documentary Film | Won | ||
| Planet in Focus | Best Canadian Short Award | Won | ||
| Miami Short Film Festival | Best Experimental Film | Won | ||
| 2026 | Academy Awards | Best Documentary Short Film | Nominated | [14] |
| Canadian Screen Awards | Best Short Documentary Film | Nominated | [15] | |