Conan O’Brien got a big laugh at this year’s Oscars by joking that the Documentary Short category should be called“little sads.”Now that joke has a sequel, and it’s genuinely delightful. Good News Network and Switchboard Magazine have launched JoyDrops, a curated slate of five documentary short films that chase wonder, humor and hope instead of grief.
The five titles are The Boys and the Bees, Panther Pat, The Grandfather Puzzle, The Second Life of Freddie Nole and Oh Whale, and the subject matter ranges from a woman who broke football’s gender barrier in 1970 to stories that simply celebrate real, wonderful people. Over five weeks, GNN will feature one film at a time alongside an interview with its director, giving audiences both a recommendation list and the story behind the story.
The driving idea is simple: a film can leave you better than it found you and still belong in the awards conversation. Audiences are already jumping in by sharing what brings them joy with #JoyDrops. So we have to ask: which of these five films are you watching first?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.