Let us congratulate with Philippe Pollet-Villard, the winner - with Le Mozart des pickpockets - of the last Academy Award for the Best Short Film (Live Action). Even though we would have loved that the statuette would have gone to the Italian short, The Substitute, the French film - also screened at Arcipelago 2007 - was definitely suitable for the Oscar: the story of two clumsy pickpockets "adopting" a deaf Romanian kid, whom has a lot to teach them about "professionalism", is indeed a very brilliant comedy, without being trivial or sketchy at all.

Born in Annecy 47 years ago, a former graphic designer and animation/commercials director, Philippe Pollet-Villard then took part as an actor in several short films, until eleven years ago, when he started to direct his own projects (in 2000 he also shot a long feature film, Jacqueline dans la vitrine), often acting in them as well. Also in Le Mozart des pickpockets Philippe plays a role: he is one of the two petty thieves. His Oscar is worth twice, then.

Nos felicitations, Philippe!