A former London resident is headed to the Oscars after the animated short film ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ received a nomination for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards.
Director Maciek Szczerbowski has deep roots in London, Ont., where he moved with his family from Poland at the age of 12 and completed both elementary and high school.
Szczerbowski shares the nomination with co-director Chris Lavis. The pair met as students in Montreal and spent years working together on the film, with the nomination marking a significant milestone.
Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
Credit: NFB Blog
The film was set in Montreal at the dawn of the 20th century, where 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.
It took the filmmakers about five to six years to complete.
You can watch the short film now on NFB on TV and mobile devices.
The Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
