This morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released its list of 2017 Oscar nominees via video live stream, with Cal alumni dominating the documentary short category. Berkeley J-School lecturer Dan Krauss’s Extremis, which explores the ethically murky territory of end-of-life decision making, and alumna Daphne Matziaraki’s 4.1 Miles, about a captain suddenly charged with saving the lives of thousands of drowning refugees, are competing against one another; Krauss was once Matziaraki’s instructor and advisor.
“Krauss previously earned an Oscar nomination for his own J-School thesis film, The Death of Kevin Carter, in 2004, so this is a kind of passing of the torch. The tag-team recognition seems to be further confirmation to Matziaraki of the J-School documentary department’s status as the best in the world,” wrote Brandon Yu in CALIFORNIA on Monday.
You can read an earlier piece on Dan Krauss’s Extremis here, and you can find the Academy’s full list of nominees here. Watch the the Extremis trailer and 4.1 Miles below:
4.1 Miles from The New York Times – Video on Vimeo.
