| The Singers | |
|---|---|
| Directed by |
|
| Written by | Ivan Turgenev |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by |
|
| Music by |
|
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release dates | |
Running time | 18 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Singers is a 2025 American short musical comedy film directed by Sam A. Davis. The film, featuring a cast discovered through viral videos and street casting, includes Mike Young and Judah Kelly. Based on a 19th-century Russian story by Ivan Turgenev, it depicts a downtrodden, improvised pub sing-off. [1]
It had its world premiere in the Narrative Short Competition at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 8, 2025. Netflix acquired the global streaming rights of the film on January 16, 2026 and released the film for global audience on February 13, 2026. [2] [3]
It was nominated for the Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. [4]
At a small blue-collar bar, a construction worker pesters other patrons for money and drinks. The bartender, tiring of his behavior and bragging, offers him a drink if he can out-sing an older regular, then extends the competition to the entire bar: the best singer in the venue will earn a hundred dollars and free drinks.
The patrons participate, with the exception of a younger man who is too shy to sing but reveals a beautiful voice while singing to himself in the bathroom before quietly leaving the bar. While the older regular indeed proves talented, the construction worker is also a skilled singer and pianist. The bartender then joins in the competition with a moving and emotional performance that brings some patrons to tears and inspires a group hug with most of the bar.
As the embrace ends, another patron steps forward, proving himself to be an unexpectedly gifted operatic singer as the competition continues.
The film is based on a story by Ivan Turgenev Singers published in A Sportsman's Sketches an 1852 cycle of short stories. The story was included in A Swim in a Pond in the Rain , a 2021 book of didactic literary analysis by American author and professor George Saunders, from where Sam A. Davis got the inspiration to adapt it by placing it along side modern medium. The project was shot on 35mm to create a rich look for the warm story, and the music was recorded live on set, two challenging aspects adding truth to the narrative. [5] Music Supervision was handled by the award winning Music Supervisor Sean Fernald .
The Singers had its world premiere at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 8, 2025 in Narrative Short Competition. [6] On April 13, it was presented in Narrative Shorts Competition at the Florida Film Festival. [7]
It had its New York Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 5, 2025. [8]
It was presented in the Screens as part of SHORTS PROGRAM: LIVE ACTION 2 in Short Competition at the AFI Fest on October 24, 2025. [9]
It was screened on November 9, 2025 at the Coronado Island Film Festival. [10]
The film became available to stream on Netflix worldwide on February 13, 2026. [11]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indy Shorts International Film Festival | July 28, 2025 | Narrative Grand Prize | The Singers | Won | [12] |
| Narrative Audience Choice Award | Won | ||||
| Coronado Island Film Festival | November 9, 2025 | Audience Award Winners – Shorts & Emerging Filmmakers: Best Live Action Short | Won | [13] | |
| HollyShorts Film Festival | November 17, 2025 | Best International Film | Won | [14] | |
| Best Director | Sam Davis | Won | |||
| Academy Awards | March 15, 2026 | Best Live Action Short Film | Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt | Pending | [4] [15] |
