Clash short Lost & Crowned, from Spanish writer-director Borja Peña Gorostegui, has scored Oscar qualification. Inspired by mobile game company Supercell’s Clash Universe, the CG animated short film is the first for the award-winning writer-director Gorostegui. It is also the first of Psyop’s films to qualify for Oscar consideration.

“It has been a true honour working on Lost & Crowned with this team of incredibly talented and passionate artists who poured everything they had into our labour of love,” said Gorostegui in a statement. “Growing up as an older brother, I experienced and learned from the same lessons that Peter and Larry are faced within the film (except for the dragons and explosions!), and I treasured and even obsessed over some of my favourite childhood adventure films like E.T., The Explorers and Goonies. Hopefully, our little film can inspire our audiences in the same way that the films I watched growing up did for me.”

“I’m so grateful for the incredible team who brought our short to life,” said Lost & Crowned producer Amanda Miller. “Their extraordinary level of craft and artistry shines in every frame under Borja’s direction. It’s an honour for us to join the other animations qualifying for consideration, and I’m thrilled our “little” film is now about to find new audiences to love it!”

Lost & Crowned released worldwide on 12 September 2020. It hit over 100 million views across all platforms in the first two months. It had previously finished its qualifying run under the amended AMPAS Oscar 2021 COVID rules.