The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center is showing the “Oscar-Nominated Short Films 2014” from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6. The films are divided into four programs — animation, live action, documentary one and documentary two.

Short films are a fast-growing genre of film entertainment. Each year, the “Oscar-Nominated Short Films” release sets box office records for the genre.

The 2013 release was one of the most successful independent film releases in the country, grossing $2,175,000.

Separate admission is charged for each of the four programs at the Ross. Festival passes, available for admission to the four Oscar Shorts programs, are $15 general admission, $12.50 for senior citizens and military members, and $10 for students, children and Friends of the Ross.

The Ross and University Program Council are offering UNL students admission for $1 per day (with a valid NCard).

For a sneak peak at the 2014 Oscar-nominated shorts program, go to http://theoscarshorts.shorts.tv.

Film featured in each program are listed below. For more information, including show times, go to http://www.theross.org or call 402-472-5353.

Live Action Short Film Nominees

• “Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me),” directed by Esteban Crespo

Paula, a Spanish aid worker, has an encounter with an African child soldier named Kaney.

• “Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just before Losing Everything),” directed by Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras:

Miriam has left her abusive husband and taken refuge with her children in the local supermarket where she works.

• “Helium,” directed by Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson

A dying boy finds comfort in the tales of a magical land called Helium, told to him by the hospital janitor.

• “Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?,” directed by Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari

Sini tries frantically to get her family ready to leave for a wedding, but her husband and two children are interfering with her efforts.

• “The Voorman Problem,” directed by Mark Gill and Baldwin Li

A psychiatrist is called to a prison to examine an inmate named Voorman, who is convinced he is a god.

Animated Short Film Nominees

• “Feral,” directed by Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden

A wild boy who has grown up in the woods is found by a hunter and returned to civilization.

• “Get a Horse!” directed by Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim

Mickey Mouse and his friends are enjoying a wagon ride until Peg-Leg Pete shows up with plans to ruin their day.

• “Mr. Hublot,” directed by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares

The eccentric, isolated Mr. Hublot finds his carefully ordered world disrupted by the arrival of Robot Pet.

• “Possessions,” directed by Shuhei Morita

A man seeking shelter from a storm in a dilapidated shrine encounters a series of household objects inhabited by goblin spirits.

• “Room on the Broom,” directed by Max Lang and Jan Lachauer

A genial witch and her cat are joined on their broom by several friends as they set off on an adventure.


Documentary Short Nominees

• “Cavedigger,” directed by Jeffrey Karoff

New Mexico environmental sculptor Ra Paulette carves elaborately designed and painstakingly executed sandstone caves, driven by an artistic vision that often brings him into conflict with his patrons.

• “Facing Fear,” directed by Jason Cohen

As a gay 13-year-old, Matthew Boger endured a savage beating at the hands of a group of neo-Nazis. Twenty-five years later, he meets one of them again by chance.

• “Karama Has No Walls,” directed by Sara Ishaq

When protesters in Yemen added their voices to those of other nations during the Arab Spring, the government responded with an attack that left 53 people dead and inspired widespread sympathy throughout the country.

• “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life” directed by Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed

At 109, Alice Herz Sommer is the world’s oldest pianist and oldest Holocaust survivor. At the heart of her remarkable story of courage and endurance is her passion for music.

• “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall,” directed by Edgar Barens

In a maximum security prison, the terminally ill Jack Hall faces his final days with the assistance of hospice care provided by workers drawn from the prison population.