I'm ambivalent, leaning no. I don't want this category to become some sort of off-ramp also-rans to become ringers. This category has a very clear purpose... for people you've never heard of to get one moment in the sun and never heard from again, with the exception of one or two people a decade at most. And look, we can snark all we want about that but it matters to them, especially considering that the efforts for filmmakers who still do shorts are monumental (often times while juggling a day job) in contrast to Wes Anderson getting bankrolled by Netflix.Mister Tee wrote
I'm even ambivalent on whether I WANT him to win for this -- I feel like, should Anderson finally win an Oscar, it ought to be for, at very least, screenplay; not something so minor-league as this.
On the other hand, were Wes Anderson to win his one Oscar for The Wonderful Life of Henry Sugar, it wouldn't really feel out of place in his adventurous career. He's managed to convey his style across so many styles of storytelling: commercials, animation... why not short films?
I like the short fine (haven't seen the others so I can't give a best in competition judgement) but I'm inclined to say I'd rather see him win an Lifetime Achievement like Stanley Donen and get his moment in the sun for a body of work rather than the tiniest of asterisks. That said, it's not like they give out that award in the show anymore anyway! I think I'd prefer him to win some award for screenplay award when the competition is mild or just go on being an under-appreciated surprisingly productive purveyor of eccentric American comedies. I think anyone who gets into the career of being in the eccentric American comedy business shouldn't get used to the idea of winning Academy Awards.