The Singers: Trailer, certificate and where to watch
Oscar-winning short set in a dive bar, where patrons take part in a sing-off
Year: 2026
Certificate: 15
If you've ever walked into a bar and wondered about the lives of the men sitting on the stools, then this Oscar-winning short film - inspired by a short story by Russian writer Ivan Turgenev from the 1850s - should strike a chord. It starts out by moving between conversations at a smoky dive bar in the US, as the men swap stories and some particularly creative insults, including 'You couldn't carry a tune in a bucket'.
Slowly it evolves into a sing-off, with one barfly after another revealing a surprising vocal talent. A couple of the voices really are quite beautiful and, if you ever watched The Commitments and remember the sound that came out of the lead singer's mouth - a man who really didn't look like he'd be a great soul singer - this feels a little like that.
The cast are largely first-time actors the director and casting director found through social media over the course of a year and a half, then asked them to 'come and play themselves'. At the Oscars, the film tied with the extraordinarily-titled Two People Exchanging Saliva for the best live action short award. (18 minutes)
