How ‘Robot Dreams’ Nabbed a Surprise Oscar Nomination for Director Pablo Berger

One of the biggest — and, quite honestly, best — surprises on Oscar nomination morning was “Robot Dreams” nabbing a Best Animated Feature nomination over much buzzier, more promoted films like Disney’s “Wish” and Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” For the Spanish film that marked the animated-feature debut of “Blancanieves” and “Abracadabra” director Pablo Berger, the dream came true.

Based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon, the film is a wordless meditation on friendship and sacrifice from the point of view of a lonely dog named DOG living in a stylized, animal-filled version of 1980s Manhattan. DOG sends away for a robot pal, and the ensuing friendship changes both of their lives forever — in the same way, perhaps, that an Academy Award nomination will change the lives of Berger and his team.