JNS.org – An Israeli short film, Aya, has been nominated in the “Best Live Action Short” category for the upcoming Academy Awards.

The film was directed by Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis, and produced by Israeli actress Yael Abecassis. Starring Israeli-French actress Sarah Adler and Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen, Aya tells the story of a random encounter between a Scandinavian music critic and an Israeli driver who picks him up from the airport. Their encounter soon evolves into a deeper relationship. The film is unique in that it has been screened in commercial Israeli cinemas despite its short running time.

Another film with a Jewish theme nominated for an Oscar is Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski’s Ida, which tells the story of a young novitiate nun who discovers she is Jewish and that her parents had died in the Holocaust.

This year’s full-length Hollywood films nominated for Best Picture in the 87th annual Academy Awards include Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Boyhood, Whiplash, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, American Sniper, and Selma.