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2020 Oscars nominations: Kitbull our frontrunner

By Wesley Coburn

TASIKMALAYA, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA - AUGUST 17: A dog is trained on a treadmill on August 17, 2019 in Tasikmalaya, West Java province, Indonesia. In the remote parts of Indonesia’s West Java province, hunting dogs are released into a bamboo-walled arena to fight against wild boars as a way to preserve a tradition of hunting in the area and test the agility of the dogs. Also known as 'adu bagong' (boar fighting), the popular sport takes place in illegal pits despite campaigns by animal rights activists to stop the practice. Dog owners pay between 600,000 to 2 million rupiah (40USD to 150USD) to enter the fights, depending on the size of their dog, and can receive up to 20 million rupiah (1,500USD) for the winning dog. The spectacle began in the 1960s when the number wild pig soared in West Java soared and takes place in a 15-by-30 metre arena surrounded by a bamboo fence as the fights ends only when one of the animals is injured. Locally known as 'Terkams or Pitkams’, the hunting dogs are usually a mix of bull terrier or pit bull, and bred by enthusiasts who have defended the practice, as the traditional sport also provide dog owners a source of income. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
TASIKMALAYA, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA - AUGUST 17: A dog is trained on a treadmill on August 17, 2019 in Tasikmalaya, West Java province, Indonesia. In the remote parts of Indonesia’s West Java province, hunting dogs are released into a bamboo-walled arena to fight against wild boars as a way to preserve a tradition of hunting in the area and test the agility of the dogs. Also known as 'adu bagong' (boar fighting), the popular sport takes place in illegal pits despite campaigns by animal rights activists to stop the practice. Dog owners pay between 600,000 to 2 million rupiah (40USD to 150USD) to enter the fights, depending on the size of their dog, and can receive up to 20 million rupiah (1,500USD) for the winning dog. The spectacle began in the 1960s when the number wild pig soared in West Java soared and takes place in a 15-by-30 metre arena surrounded by a bamboo fence as the fights ends only when one of the animals is injured. Locally known as 'Terkams or Pitkams’, the hunting dogs are usually a mix of bull terrier or pit bull, and bred by enthusiasts who have defended the practice, as the traditional sport also provide dog owners a source of income. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) /
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Pixar’s short Kitbull is our frontrunner for its category, as the 2020 Oscars nominations have recently been announced.

The 2020 Oscars nominations were recently announced, and they are very light on dog movies, or even anything that is somewhat canine adjacent. This is disappointing, though not all that surprising.

However, in the Best Short Film category, there is one all about pets and the power of friendship: Pixar’s short Kitbull, which we here at Dog O’Day have previously covered.

Uploaded to YouTube in February 2019, Kitbull is part of Pixar’s SparkShorts series of short films, which is designed as a way to locate the future of filmmaking within the company. According to the series’ Wikipedia page, all films have a strict limited budget, must be completed within six months, and be based on personal experiences.

This allows for much deeper and somber themes to be explored, which are unlikely to be the focus of a major PIxar feature film release.

Set in the San Francisco area, Kitbull follows a scrawny stray black kitten and the white Pit Bull she slowly makes friends with. The dog’s owner is heavily implied to be in a dogfighting ring, and at the very least is abusive. After overcoming their initial mutual hesitancy towards each other, the kitten and the dog bond over the fun of swatting a bottle cap, and eventually escape.

By the end of the short, a nice woman and her husband have adopted both the dog and the cat, and everything is happily ever after, if you ask them.

Kitbull was written and directed by Rosana Sullivan, with the music composed by Andrew Jimenez. By hinting at the sadness of the dark reality that often is part of the Pit Bull’s world, it seems like it rightly deserves one of the 2020 Oscars nominations, and we will be cheering for it when the awards come around.

The nine-minute film can be found on YouTube, and is also available on Disney Plus with the rest of the Pixar lineup and a host of other good doggo-centric content, including the live-action Lady and the Tramp remake.

Next. The history of dog movies at the Oscars. dark

The winners from the 2020 Oscars nominations will be revealed during the 92nd Academy Awards, which will air on Sunday, February 9 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.

Have you watched Kitbull yet? What did you think?

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