When asked during our recent webcam chat (watch above) about where he was when he learned the news of his recent Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short, “Timecode” director Juanjo Gimenez Pena recalls, “I was in a bar in Barcelona, sharing the moment with part of my team and my family. That was really great because normally, when you get an award or news about a short, I am alone or with a producer, but that time, I was surrounded by people, and that was a very special moment.” The film stars Lali Ayguade and Nicolas Ricchini as two parking garage security guards who share a secret passion for dancing.
Sign up to get Gold Derby’s free newsletters
with experts’ latest predictions and breaking news
The Barcelona native had helmed several shorts, features, and documentaries before “Timecode.” “I’ve discovered during all these years that I feel very comfortable working and writing short films,” he divulges. “It fits better, maybe, the way I approach filmmaking, and so there’s nothing wrong with a career making short films.” He points to literary influences such as Raymond Carver, who never published a novel, as a reason why he’s, “a defender of the short film format.”
Pena won the award for Best Short Film at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, as well the Goya prize. He competes at the Oscars against “Ennemis interieurs,” “La femme et le TGV,” “Mindenki” (“Sing”), and “Silent Nights.”
Make your Oscar predictions now; change them until Feb. 26
Make your Academy Awards picks now and tell industry insiders which films and performers you have out front to win on February 26. You can keep changing them until just before show time. Be sure to make your predictions right here. You’ll compete for a place of honor on our leaderboard and a starring role in next year’s Top 24 Users (the two dozen folks who do the best predicting this year’s nominees). Read our contest rules.
