Alexandre Singh Wins Oscar for ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’

Indian-origin filmmaker Alexandre Singh won the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards for the French-language drama Two People Exchanging Saliva. The award was shared in a rare tie with the film The Singers, directed by Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt. The recognition places Singh among the latest filmmakers of Indian origin to achieve international acclaim at the Oscars.

Background of the filmmaker

Alexandre Singh was born in Bordeaux, France, to an Indian father and a French mother. He grew up in Manchester in the United Kingdom and later studied fine art at the University of Oxford. Singh currently lives in Brooklyn, United States. Known for blending visual art with cinematic storytelling, he has gradually built a reputation as a filmmaker who explores complex social themes through imaginative narratives.

About the Oscar-winning short film

The 36-minute film Two People Exchanging Saliva was co-directed by Singh and his long-time creative collaborator Natalie Musteata. The story presents an absurd dystopian world where basic human intimacy becomes illegal and punishable by death. In this strange society, people exchange slaps as a form of payment, creating a surreal yet thought-provoking narrative about social control and human behaviour.

Rare tie in Academy Awards history

The film shared the Best Live-Action Short Film award with The Singers, marking only the seventh tie in the history of the Academy Awards. Such ties are extremely rare and occur when two nominees receive the same number of votes from Academy members. The recognition highlights the strong reception both films received from the global film community.

Important Facts for Exams

• The 98th Academy Awards honoured films released in the previous year across global categories.
• The Best Live-Action Short Film category occasionally records ties; only seven such instances have occurred in Oscars history.
• Alexandre Singh is a filmmaker of Indian and French heritage who studied at the University of Oxford.
• Short films are typically defined by the Academy as motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less.

Artistic vision and previous works

During his acceptance speech, Singh emphasised the transformative power of art and creativity, stating that cinema can influence society over time. His earlier works include The Appointment (2019) and Plan large (2016). The Oscar-winning film also gained recognition on the festival circuit after premiering at prominent events such as the Telluride Film Festival, strengthening Singh’s profile as an emerging global filmmaker.