Guess what movie fans? The Oscars happened and there was a surprise winner that you absolutely need to know about. "I'm Not a Robot" a short film from The New Yorker just took home the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film! Yep that's right a movie from a magazine just won an Oscar. How cool is that?
From Online Tests to Oscar Glory: "I'm Not a Robot" Captures Hearts and Funny Bones
"I'm Not a Robot" is not your typical Oscar winner. It is quirky it is funny and it makes you think. The movie is about a woman in an office who just cannot pass those CAPTCHA tests you know the ones that ask you to prove you are not a robot. You have to click all the squares with traffic lights or blurry storefronts. We have all been there right?
Well in the film when this music producer lady keeps failing these tests she starts to wonder... wait am I actually a robot? Things get pretty surreal and darkly comedic from there. The director Victoria Warmerdam says she wanted to make something entertaining first and foremost. She definitely succeeded there. But she also told The New Yorker that the movie touches on some important ideas especially now that artificial intelligence is becoming such a big deal in our lives.
This film is not just about whether AI is ethical she says. It also gets into "self-determination and bodily autonomy" which she thinks are "fundamental rights everyone deserves." Heavy stuff maybe but wrapped up in a short funny and super engaging package.
New Yorker Films Strikes Gold Again: Second Oscar Win for the Magazine's Video Team
This is not the first time The New Yorker has snagged an Oscar. It is actually their second win. That is pretty impressive for a magazine that also makes movies on the side. They have been nominated nineteen times for Academy Awards in total showing they are serious about filmmaking.
Another New Yorker film "Incident" was also nominated this year for Best Documentary Short. "Incident" is a very different kind of film serious and intense. It looks at a police killing in Chicago using body-camera and surveillance footage. While "Incident" did not win this year it is still amazing that two films from the same magazine were up for Oscars.
If you are curious to see what The New Yorker is cooking up in their video department you can check out their website newyorker.com/video or their YouTube channel . They have a whole library of short films past winners and nominees and who knows maybe the next Oscar winner is already there waiting to be discovered.
Want More New Yorker Films? Get Short Movies and Entertainment News Straight to Your Inbox
Love short films? Want to stay in the loop with cool movies and entertainment news? The New Yorker has a daily newsletter you can sign up for. They will send you their films movie reviews actor profiles and even commentary on awards season. It sounds like a pretty awesome way to keep up with what is happening in the film world and get some quality short films delivered right to you.
Key Facts About "I'm Not a Robot" and its Oscar Win
- Oscar Win: Best Live Action Short Film at the 2025 Academy Awards.
- Produced By: The New Yorker magazine.
- Director and Writer: Victoria Warmerdam.
- Producer: Trent (mononymous).
- Plot: A music producer struggles to pass CAPTCHA tests and questions her humanity.
- Themes: Artificial intelligence ethics self-determination bodily autonomy.
- Tone: Darkly comedic surreal thought-provoking.
- Watch More: newyorker.com/video or The New Yorker's YouTube channel.
Check Out "I'm Not a Robot" and Support Short Filmmaking (Maybe Before CAPTCHAs Take Over!)
So next time you are mindlessly clicking "I am not a robot" to get into a website maybe you will think twice. Or maybe you will just think of this Oscar-winning short film. "I'm Not a Robot" is a fun quirky and smart movie that deserves all the attention it is getting. Give it a watch support short films and maybe ponder your own humanity in the age of AI. Just try not to fail too many CAPTCHA tests in the process!