Three Songs for Benazir (2021)/The Windshield Wiper (2021)

Three Songs for Benazir is an interesting documentary short about a young married couple living in a displaced persons camp in Kabul. The husband Shaista dreams of joining the Afghan National Army but his elder’s rejection of the idea means his life takes a drastically different turn. The film maintains a delicate touch by simply following the participants over the course of a number of years with no commentary except the actions of the subjects themselves.

The Windshield Wiper poses the question ‘what is love?’ through a series of otherwise unrelated vignettes. I didn’t love the aesthetic of the animation style on this one and find it rather ugly visually. The question is a bit pretentious to begin with and the film doesn’t even bother going anywhere in answering the question.

Oscar Win: Best Animated Short Film (The Windshield Wiper)

Oscar Nomination: Best Documentary Short Subject (Three Songs for Benazir)