'Gravity' Spinoff 'Anigaaq' Could Make Oscars History (VIDEO)
A "Gravity" spinoff titled "Anigaaq" could make history if it becomes the first short film to be nominated alongside its feature-length counterpart. The film deals with the other side of a conversation astronaut Dr. Ryan Stone has with a previously unknown person while suffering in space.
The "Gravity" spinoff was submitted by Warner Bros. for the live-action short category, and according to critics and moviegoers, the film has a real chance of securing the nomination. "Aningaaq" was directed by Jonas Cuaron, the son of director Alfonso Cuaron and co-writer of the screenplay.
"Aningaaq" covers an Inuit fisherman accompanied by his Siberian husky sled dogs, his wife and his child in the remote, frozen wilderness of Greenland. While working hard, his radio suddenly catches the pleas of Dr. Stone, who is hundreds of miles overhead trapped in Russian space station. In "Gravity," viewers thought she would be rescued after finally making contact with someone, but soon after, Aningaaq starts to speak a foreign language, crushing Stone's spirits.
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"It's this moment where the audience and the character get this hope that Ryan is finally going to be OK," 31-year-old Jonas told The Hollywood Reporter. "Then you realize everything gets lost in translation."
Despite the language barrier, both characters relate their tough circumstances and their desperation for survival: Stone is convinced she will die in the icy cold of space, and Aningaaq was worried about his sick dog. However, Aningaaq derives comfort from his wife and child, while Stone has no one— (spoiler alert) her daughter has long since died by the time the film begins.
The poignant piece only cost $100,000 to make— "most of which went toward the 10-person crew's travel costs," THR reported— and although it is a companion to "Gravity," it was also designed to "stand on its own," Cuaron said.
"Aningaaq" was intended to be an extra on the Blu-ray and DVD release of "Gravity," but it has gained a following at festival screenings. Fans also seem to like the short film.
"Fantastic! It actually makes the scene in Gravity more meaningful. We need more hyperlinked art like this," The Colonel wrote on the THR blog.
"Gravity did blow me away. [Ended] up being my favorite film of the year. I like this little short. Makes the entire story even more interesting," Bio wrote on Screenrant.com.
