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Catalogue

The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
2025 | 17 min

Trailer


Oscar® Winner, Best Animated Short Film. In Montreal, at the dawn of the 20th century, a poor boy falls in love with a girl whose sorrow turns into pearls. He sells them to a ruthless pawnbroker, who hungers for more. Tempted by greed, the boy must choose between love and fortune. The choice could damn his soul.From the Oscar-nominated team of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (Madame Tutli-Putli), this meticulously crafted film is a testament to the magic of stop-motion animation. With handmade puppets, mesmerizing narration by Colm Feore and a haunting score by Patrick Watson, The Girl Who Cried Pearls is a timeless parable of desire, deception and the price of innocence.

Awards and distinctions

  • Best Animated Short Film
    Annual Academy Awards / OSCARS, Hollywood
    2026
  • Golden SpIFFy for Best Animated Short
    International Film Festival, Spokane
    2026
  • Mention spéciale du jury enfant pour le prix du meilleur court métrage international
    Festival International du film pour enfants (FIFEM), Montréal
    2026
  • Prix du meilleur court métrage remis par le jury professionnel
    Festival International du film pour enfants (FIFEM), Montréal
    2026
  • Press Award for Best Short Film (UPCB and UCC)
    Cartoon and Animated Film Festival, Brussels
    2026
  • Best Animated Short Award
    Cinema on the Bayou, Lafayette
    2026
  • Silver Bulbul Tropy for Best Director
    Bulbul Children’s International Film Festival, Goa
    2026
  • Winner International Character-based 2D
    Animation Festival, Los Angeles
    2025
  • Grand Prize
    VIEW Conference, Torino
    2025
  • Golden Bat for Best Short Film
    Fantafestival: Mostra Internazionale del cinema di fantascienza e del fantastico, Rome
    2025
  • Jury Special Mention for its imaginative story and emotional impact
    TOFUZI International Animated Film Festival, Tbilisi
    2025
  • AniB's Choice Award
    International Animation Festival, Bucheon
    2025
  • Special Mentions Award
    International Animation Festival, Taichung
    2025
  • CFI Award for Best Canadian Animation
    International Animation Festival, Ottawa
    2025
  • Audience Grand Prix Stop Motion Animation (ex aequo with Ferdinand Ehrhardt's DETLEV)
    StopTrik International Film Festival, Maribor
    2025
  • Mention du Jury meilleur court métrage québécois
    Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec, Québec
    2025
  • Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film
    International Film Festival, Toronto
    2025
  • Benshi Prize
    International Animated Film Festival, Annecy
    2025