Hoax – An Egyptian short film called “The Other Father”, just 2 minutes and 30 seconds long, allegedly won the Oscar. The film was said to have been made by a 20-year-old and to have become an international phenomenon for its simplicity and emotion.
Analysis
Messages with emotional appeal, especially those that exalt works of art with supposedly extraordinary achievements, often gain traction on social networks. This is the case with a message circulating in recent weeks about an Egyptian short film titled “The Other Father” or, in some versions, “The Other Pair”. According to the posts, the film was directed by a 20-year-old, was just two and a half minutes long, and won the Oscar for best short film.
The message comes with an emotional video about the impacts of technology on family life. The viral content is shared on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, often with motivational captions and calls for reflection. Read some of the versions circulating online:
Version 1: “The Egyptian film “The Other Father”, just 2 minutes and 30 seconds long, won the best short film award at a film festival. The director is 20 years old. The film shows how people isolate themselves in technology and forget one of the best things in life: human interaction with love and fraternity. This video is sublime! Please, watch it!!!!* Lovely video. Luckily we repeat it everywhere. Let’s do our best not to lose this bond, and do your part every day, in all areas of life (home, work, meetings with friends, etc…)”
Version 2: The film “The Other Father” won the award for best short film at a film festival. It was made by a 20-year-old.
Fact-check
The story quickly went viral on the internet. However, the video is not Egyptian, not recent, and did not win any Hollywood Academy award. Let’s answer the following questions to clarify the content: 1) Did the Egyptian film “The Other Father” win the Oscar? 2) What is the true origin of the video? 3) Was the content awarded in any significant festival?
Did the Egyptian film “The Other Father”, 2 minutes long, win the Oscar?
No. There is no record of any short film called “The Other Father” (or “The Other Pair”) among Oscar winners. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the awards, has never awarded a film with that name. Also, there is no mention of that title in the main film databases like IMDb. The story is completely unfounded.
What is the origin of the video attributed to the film “The Other Father”?
The video being shared is not an Egyptian short film. It is actually a Canadian institutional commercial released in 2017 by the brand President’s Choice. The piece was part of the “Eat Together” campaign promoted by the Loblaws supermarket chain to encourage Canadians to have family meals during the country’s 150th anniversary. The commercial went viral due to its emotional tone, but was never presented as a competing short film. You can watch the original video in this official YouTube link or below:
Did the video in question win the Oscar?
No. As explained, the video is a commercial and was not submitted to the Academy as a short film. Moreover, even in advertising festivals, there is no record of any relevant award based on this specific content. The confusion likely stems from the piece’s emotional appeal and the lack of clear credits on the shared video, allowing the creation of a false narrative, as we’ve seen in other cases.
Conclusion
The information that an Egyptian film called “The Other Father” won the Oscar is false. The video that has been circulating is actually a 2017 Canadian commercial produced by the brand President’s Choice to promote healthy eating habits and family togetherness. It is not an Oscar-winning film, nor is it Egyptian.
Fake news ❌
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