Five Oscar-nominated documentary shorts directors discussed their impactful works with Variety
Joshua Seftel's 'All the Empty Rooms' explores preserved bedrooms of children killed in school shootings
The documentary aims to reframe the school shooting conversation beyond political divides
Seftel hopes the film will help Americans recognize the human toll of gun violence in schools
📖 Full Retelling
The five directors of Oscar-nominated documentary shorts discussed their impactful works in interviews with Variety on February 28, 2026, aiming to present raw, unflinching portraits that address pressing social issues. Joshua Seftel, director of 'All the Empty Rooms,' explored the preserved bedrooms of eight American children killed in school shootings, hoping to reframe the national conversation around gun violence by focusing on shared human values rather than political divides. Seftel's 34-minute Netflix documentary examines bedrooms maintained exactly as they were when the children left for their final school day, creating a powerful visual testament to young lives lost. 'There are over 100 school shootings a year in the U.S., and it's so disheartening to me that this has become normal and acceptable to us,' Seftel expressed, highlighting his motivation to create a film that could transcend political polarization. The documentary aims to help Americans fully comprehend the human cost of school shootings by presenting the intimate spaces where these children once lived and dreamed.
🏷️ Themes
Documentary filmmaking, Social impact, Gun violence awareness
Joshua Seftel (born July 17, 1968) is an Academy Award-nominated film director. Seftel began his career in documentaries at age 22 with his Emmy-nominated film, Lost and Found, about Romania's orphaned children. He followed this with several films including Stranger at the Gate, an Oscar-nominated s...
All the Empty Rooms is a 2025 American documentary short film, directed and produced by Joshua Seftel. It follows Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they embark across the United States to memorialize the bedrooms of children killed in school shootings.
All the Empty Rooms had its world prem...
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Feb 28, 2026 10:35am PT Oscar-Nominated Documentary Shorts Directors on Their Works and Hoping to Make an Impact: ‘We Wanted People to See This Raw, Unflinching Portrait’ By Addie Morfoot Plus Icon Addie Morfoot Contributor @kamorfoot Latest ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ Star Meredith Marks on Being ‘Sick Of’ Britani Bateman, Forgiving Lisa Barlow and Where She Stands With Jen Shah 1 month ago Sedona International Film Festival Unveils 32nd Annual Film Lineup 1 month ago Sundance ACLU Panel Filmmakers Discuss Mounting Government Censorship 1 month ago See All The five Oscar-nominated doc shorts pack a lot of punch into their brief time on screen. The filmmakers talked to Variety about their documentaries. All the Empty Rooms Joshua Seftel’s “All the Empty Rooms” explores the bedrooms of eight American children who were killed during a school shooting. Each room, preserved by the victim’s parents, looks exactly how it did when each child left on their final day off to school. “There are over 100 school shootings a year in the U.S., and it’s so disheartening to me that this has become normal and acceptable to us,” says Seftel. “I wanted to make a film that could reframe this issue. To remove the issue from the usual political debate and focus on the part we all agree upon: That we all want our children to be safe at school.” Seftel hopes that the 34-minute Netflix doc will help Americans across the country fully appreciate the human toll of school shootings. “My hope is that by laying bare the stories of these empty rooms and these forgotten families who are grappling with grief and loss, we can begin to feel something again.” Related Stories CBS’ ‘CIA’ Works Fine as an Average Law Enforcement Procedural: TV Review
