'The Little Matchgirl'

<b>Best animated short nominee</b><br>
Its Disney, but moody and dark and very unlike the vast majority of what has emerged from that studios animators in recent years. Almost monochromatic, and set to a mournful Borodin string quartet (it was made at Roy Disneys behest when he was hoping to produce a new Fantasia), the film tells a heartbreaking Hans Christian Andersen story about a homeless Russian girl who tries to sell matches to survive the cold winter.
At night, she lights those matches for warmth, and fantasizes scenes of comfort and solace as she gazes into the flames. The dark, poignant finale will likely be a selling point to Oscar voters, though Disney executives made Allers and Hahn attempt three happier endings before they finally consented to this one.

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( Magnolia Pictures )

Best animated short nominee
Its Disney, but moody and dark and very unlike the vast majority of what has emerged from that studios animators in recent years. Almost monochromatic, and set to a mournful Borodin string quartet (it was made at Roy Disneys behest when he was hoping to produce a new Fantasia), the film tells a heartbreaking Hans Christian Andersen story about a homeless Russian girl who tries to sell matches to survive the cold winter. At night, she lights those matches for warmth, and fantasizes scenes of comfort and solace as she gazes into the flames. The dark, poignant finale will likely be a selling point to Oscar voters, though Disney executives made Allers and Hahn attempt three happier endings before they finally consented to this one.