This is a profoundly simple short that revolves around a particular question: "Are you the favorite person of anyone?" It was written by Miranda July, directed by Miguel Arteta (Six Feed Under), and featured at Sundance a couple of years ago. First, watch the short (only 4 minutes), then check out the director's reasoning behind the film below.

The following is taken from the liner notes at Wholphin DVD as a Q&A with director Miguel Arteta:

Q: Why did you want to make this film?

MA: "I love Miranda's writing. She told me that as a girl, when strangers passed her by in the street, she would picture herself as that person and then ask herself, in that stranger's voice, "Am I someone's favorite person?" This script is gorgeous because it makes you wonder, what is your story? What is the quality of the relationships that define you? After years of having my head up my ass, due to living and working in LA these questions were a welcome gift."

This simple short embodies the story of name. It is directed by Eric Tu and is entitled "The Ballad of Gabrielle". It won the Director's Bureau 60 Second Film Competition this past year.

A former US vice president, a gospel choir, two high profile lesbians, a 25 year old Black nominee from the south side of Chicago to 75 year old, Ireland born, nominee Peter O’Toole, two Tom Cruise exes, Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee, a global warming message, and the global community all come together peacefully to celebrate what else…movies.

It makes sense that the Oscars would bring about unity of this sort and is quite frankly a testament to the power of the moving image. If there’s one thing we can set aside our differences for it’s a well directed crime drama, a juicy inside look at behind-the-scenes royalty, a terrorism attack resolved, and a cute 8 year old girl- the nominees for best picture at the 79^th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony, which was held this past Sunday.

I couldn't move.

I could barely even breathe.

I felt like I was being pinned to my seat.

The film was over but I couldn't bring myself to stand up and walk out. It seemed so totally inappropriate to go on with my Friday evening as planned.

The emotions were a mix of disbelief and utter sadness. I looked around the theater. I wasn't alone. No one was moving. No one was going anywhere.

There must have been over four hundred of us in that theater. Four hundred different lives, different backgrounds, different stories. Somehow this film cut through all the differences and connected with one thing we all new to be true: What happened in Rwanda in the 1990s was wrong and it should have been stopped.