House of Small Cubes (Tsumiki no Ie)

Kunio Kato
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"
The 12-minute film, which means "House of Small Cubes," centers on an old man reflecting upon his life as floodwaters slowly rise at his home. It marked the first Academy Award nomination and win for Kato, who wrote and directed the piece.
"It's so heavy," said Kato of the award. A native of Japan, he struggled with his English in good humor before a star-studded audience. "Thank you very much. Thank you, my supporters. Thank you, all my staff. Thank you, academy. . . . Thank you, my company. Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto."
Kato's film career was not his first choice. As a child, he wanted to be a veterinarian but gave it up because of an allergy to cats.