Netflix Acquires The Oscar Nominated Short ‘Two Distant Strangers’

written by Nichelle Taylor

Deadline has confirmed that The Academy Awards Nominated short film Two Distant Strangers has been nabbed by the streaming giant Netflix.

The short was developed and written by Travon Free, who also served as a co-director with Martin Desmond Roe. The story follows a cartoonist named Carter James (Joey Bada$$) as he makes countless attempts to get home to his dog. Instead of meeting that intention with success, he is handicapped by a recurring fatal encounter that forces him to relive the same tragic day again and again. The plot is a twist on the classic movie Groundhog Day.

In addition to being nominated for an Oscar, the project has received rave reviews from viewers. Filmmakers and critics alike have praised the compellingly poignant piece.

Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon-ho said, “The film uses repetition as a device of horror to suffocate you thoroughly, and mines fear in a profound, persistent way that’s never been seen before.”

Filmmaker Ava Duvernay, in a video, addressed to The Academy for consideration, says, “They’ve come up with a film that not only moves you emotionally, it moves you to action, it moves you to conversation, it moves you to introspection, and that’s what I admire about the film.” Duvernay’s younger brother, Nicholas Maye of Six Feet Over Productions executive produced the project.

Other executive producers include Van Lathan (Six Feet Over Productions), Kevin Durant, Terrence Jenkins, Michael A. Conley II, Samir Hernandez, Tina Exarhos, Rick Kleiman, Michael Novogratz, Mickey Meyers, Jordan Schultz, and The Pritzker Pucker Family.

Two Distant Strangers is now available for streaming on Netflix.