“The Simpsons” may get another shot at an Oscar thanks to a short starring Maggie Simpson, the youngest member of the yellow family from Springfield.
The Academy has narrowed its list for the Animated Short Award from 56 to 10, it announced on Friday, and that list includes “Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare.’” The short, written by “Simpsons” lifers like James L. Brooks and Matt Groening, aired before screenings of “Ice Age: Continental Drift.”
The four-and-a-half-minute 3D short pits Maggie against her nemesis, Baby Gerald.
The Academy shut “The Simpsons Movie” out of the 2008 awards, prompting the legendary animated show to mock the Oscars before the 2011 awards.
The nominations for the 85th Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 10, 2013 and the awards themselves will take place Feb. 24 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Here are the nine other short-list nominees for best animated short:
“Adam and Dog," Minkyu Lee, director (Lodge Films)
"Combustible," Katsuhiro Otomo, director (Sunrise Inc.)
"Dripped," Léo Verrier, director (ChezEddy)
"The Eagleman Stag," Mikey Please, director, and Benedict Please, music scores and sound design (Royal College of Art)
"The Fall of the House of Usher," Raul Garcia, director, and Stephan Roelants, producer (Melusine Productions, R&R Communications Inc., Les Armateurs, The Big Farm)
"Fresh Guacamole," PES, director (PES)
"Head Over Heels," Timothy Reckart, director, and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, producer (National Film and Television School)
"Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”," David Silverman, director (Gracie Films)
"Paperman," John Kahrs, director (Disney Animation Studios)
"Tram," Michaela Pavlátová, director, and Ron Dyens, producer (Sacrebleu Productions)
