The Sacramento French Film Festival has always enjoyed showcasing a diverse selection of short films. While feature films dominate the industry, shorts allow artists to build a portfolio to attract funding, gain experience with lower costs and commitments, refine their craft, experiment with storytelling techniques, and express their artistic vision. For many renowned French directors, "le court-métrage" has been a stepping-stone to feature-length success.

In Shortcuts to the Oscars, we highlight early short films by French directors who later earned Oscar nominations and, a few times, awards, including Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie, 2001), Jacques Tati (Mon Oncle, 1958), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance, 2024), Ladj Ly (Les Misérables, 2019), Patrice Leconte (Ridicule, 1996), and Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall, 2023).

Program includes: What I Like, What I Don't Like by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, The School for Postman by Jacques Tati, The Telegram by Coralie Fargeat, Les Misérables by Ladj Ly, The Bolero Drummer by Patrice Leconte, and Two Ships by Justine Triet.