Concordians Oscar-bound with The Girl Who Cried Pearls nomination
Concordia alumni are once again headed to the Oscars. The Girl Who Cried Pearls, co-created by Maciek Szczerbowski, BFA 94 (scenography), has been named a finalist for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. The nominees were announced on January 22.
Several Concordians contributed to the film’s creation. The team includes stop-motion animators Laura Stewart, BFA 14 (film animation), Laura Venditti, BFA 15 (film animation), and former student Peggy Arel. Mould-making and casting were led by Erik Goulet, BFA 90 (film animation), a long-time instructor at Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. Melissa Rousseau, BA 09 (études françaises), and Kamil Chajder, BFA 12 (film animation), worked on compositing and visual effects.
“It’s amazing to receive this nomination!” says Szczerbowski, after devoting five years to the film’s completion. He hadn't realized that a number of his collaborators on the project are fellow Concordians. “It’s great to discover this! They are top-shelf artists.”
Co-director of Oscar-nominated The Girl Who Cried Pearls Maciek Szczerbowski, BFA 94, works behind the scenes.
A festival favourite
Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, the 17-minute stop-motion fable brings meticulously crafted puppets to life, anchored by actor Colm Feore’s captivating narration and a haunting score by musician Patrick Watson. Set in early-20th-century Montreal, the film follows a young boy in love with a girl whose tears become pearls. When he sells them to a ruthless pawnbroker, the boy is drawn into greed and forced to choose between love and fortune.
Since its debut in June 2025, The Girl Who Cried Pearls has screened at more than 40 festivals worldwide and received over 11 awards and honours, including the Toronto International Film Festival’s Best Canadian Short Film at inclusion in its Canada’s Top Ten.
This marks the second Oscar nomination for Szczerbowski and co-director Chris Lavis. Their film Madame Tutli-Putli was a finalist at the 2007 Academy Awards and winner of a Genie Award.
Szczerbowski is grateful to Concordia for kickstarting his career. “What a fun school! I had a great experience at Concordia — and it changed my life.”