Netflix Sets Release Date for Oscar-Nominated Live-Action Short ‘The Singers’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Netflix will globally release the Oscar-nominated live-action short film “The Singers” on Feb. 13, Variety has learned exclusively.
Directed by Sam Davis, the film marks a major opportunity for voters and audiences to watch the acclaimed movie from the filmmaker, who previously earned an Academy Award nomination for producing the short “Nai Nai and Wài Pó,” in addition to his acclaimed cinematography work on Sean Wang’s coming-of-age film “Dìdi” and the Oscar-winning short “Period. End of Sentence.”
Adapted from a 19th-century short story by Ivan Turgenev, “The Singers” unfolds inside a modest pub where a group of downtrodden patrons unexpectedly connect through an impromptu sing-off. The music, which was recorded live on set, becomes the emotional conduit, transforming the room and the people within it.
Davis created the film with first-time actors chosen for their authenticity and lived experience, assembling an ensemble drawn entirely from viral singing talents and singular internet personalities. The cast includes Mike Yung, the New York City singer who went viral in 2016 for his soulful rendition of “Unchained Melody” and later became a semifinalist on “America’s Got Talent”; folk-blues legend Chris Smither; pianist and street performer Will Harrington, who began busking in Provincetown as a teenager; Australian singer-songwriter Judah Kelly, winner of “The Voice Australia” in 2017; operatic tenor and University of Oklahoma doctoral student Matthew Corcoran; Hutch, a U.S. Army veteran and storyteller whose life experiences resonated through viral videos; and Tio Rigo and Mr. George, known as Llanteros 503, whose joyful TikTok performances celebrate Salvadoran pride.
“The Singers” has had a strong festival run, winning 35 awards across 49 festivals. It made its world premiere at SXSW and went on to screen at Tribeca Festival, among many others.
Produced by Jack Piatt, David Breschel, Charlie Cohen and Davis, “The Singers” arrives on Netflix just in time to sing its way through Oscar voting.
Directed by Sam Davis, the film marks a major opportunity for voters and audiences to watch the acclaimed movie from the filmmaker, who previously earned an Academy Award nomination for producing the short “Nai Nai and Wài Pó,” in addition to his acclaimed cinematography work on Sean Wang’s coming-of-age film “Dìdi” and the Oscar-winning short “Period. End of Sentence.”
Adapted from a 19th-century short story by Ivan Turgenev, “The Singers” unfolds inside a modest pub where a group of downtrodden patrons unexpectedly connect through an impromptu sing-off. The music, which was recorded live on set, becomes the emotional conduit, transforming the room and the people within it.
Davis created the film with first-time actors chosen for their authenticity and lived experience, assembling an ensemble drawn entirely from viral singing talents and singular internet personalities. The cast includes Mike Yung, the New York City singer who went viral in 2016 for his soulful rendition of “Unchained Melody” and later became a semifinalist on “America’s Got Talent”; folk-blues legend Chris Smither; pianist and street performer Will Harrington, who began busking in Provincetown as a teenager; Australian singer-songwriter Judah Kelly, winner of “The Voice Australia” in 2017; operatic tenor and University of Oklahoma doctoral student Matthew Corcoran; Hutch, a U.S. Army veteran and storyteller whose life experiences resonated through viral videos; and Tio Rigo and Mr. George, known as Llanteros 503, whose joyful TikTok performances celebrate Salvadoran pride.
“The Singers” has had a strong festival run, winning 35 awards across 49 festivals. It made its world premiere at SXSW and went on to screen at Tribeca Festival, among many others.
Produced by Jack Piatt, David Breschel, Charlie Cohen and Davis, “The Singers” arrives on Netflix just in time to sing its way through Oscar voting.