Atom Egoyan and Alison McAlpine Talk About the Oscar-Contending Perfectly a Strangeness

      Shortlisted as one of fifteen films competing for Best Documentary Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards, perfectly a strangeness marks the debut short film of Canadian filmmaker Alison McAlpine, known for her remarkable 2017 feature, Cielo. In anticipation of a special screening at NYC’s DCTV this Saturday, we are excited to share an exclusive discussion between McAlpine and renowned Canadian director Atom Egoyan.

      Having premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and featured in over 70 other festivals worldwide, the short film's synopsis reads: “In the stunning glow of an unfamiliar desert, three donkeys stumble upon an abandoned astronomical observatory and the cosmos. A sensory, cinematic journey into the essence of storytelling.”

      “Atom is a cinephile and a filmmaker with great sensitivity,” McAlpine remarked. “Connecting with him to discuss perfectly a strangeness and the craft of filmmaking was a genuine delight. It is a tremendous honor for my short film, perfectly a strangeness, to be shortlisted for Best Documentary Short at the 98th Academy Awards and nominated for the Cinema Eye Honors 2026. Having the backing of a discerning and insightful filmmaker like Atom Egoyan holds significant meaning for me.”

      Watch the conversation below.