Hundreds of thousands of people tuned into the 2023 Oscar nominations on Tuesday (Jan. 24) and were left giggling like middle school boys in their first sex education class after Riz Ahmed skillfully declared “My Year of Dicks” as a contender in the best animated short category and was left with laughter from the audience.
The short’s comedic name left many watching Ahmed’s announcement on repeat and curious to learn more about the short.
Created by Sara Gunnarsdóttir, the short begins in August 1991 and reads like a teenager’s diary as the protagonist, Pam, recalls her journey towards losing her virginity. The short – which clocks in at 25 minutes – is a mash-up of various animation styles and techniques.
Want to learn more about “My Year of Dicks”? Here’s everything you need to know, including how to watch it.
What Is “My Year of Dicks”?
Told over five chapters, “My Year of Dicks” is a comedic short based on Pamela Ribon’s memoir Notes to Boys: And Other Things I Shouldn’t Share in Public. Ribon adapted the work for the screen and paired with Icelandic director Sara Gunnarsdóttir to bring the vision to life.
The animated short follows a fifteen-year-old girl, Pam, on her quest to lose her virginity. Much like most girls who live in a world reeking of misogyny, she runs into a few roadblocks.
Throughout her journey, she has to endure jerk-ish guys, awkward conversations with her dad (who encourages her to abstain from sex because it doesn’t result in pleasure for women, using her mom as an example – yuck!), and blush-inducing teasing from crushes (“Pam, do you think Big Bird is a real bird?”).
“My Year of Dicks” takes a feminist perspective on the topic while using nostalgia to reminisce about the best and worst parts of being a teen – the first loves, first heartbreaks, first time having sex, and so on.
How To Watch “My Year of Dicks”?
“My Year of Dicks” can be watched for free on Vimeo. The total runtime of the short is 25 minutes and 40 seconds.
What is “My Year of Dicks“ competing against at the 2023 Oscars?
“My Year of Dicks” is up against “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud, “The Flying Sailor” by Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, “Ice Merchants” by João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano, and “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” by Lachlan Pendragon at the 2023 Oscar Awards. See all the nominations here.
