WATCH: A quirky short Irish film about young love that was nominated for an Oscar

"The Crush," Michael Creagh’s quirky drama about an 8-year-old boy and his infatuation with his teacher, is now available to stream for free via the Irish Film Institute's IFI Archive Player.

In "The Crush," eight-year-old Ardal has a romantic heart and a passionate crush on his second-class teacher, Ms. Purdy. But his dreams of marrying his love are dashed when she becomes engaged to her boyfriend, who Ardal deems entirely unacceptable.

Inspired by his favourite western movies, he decides that his only course of action is to challenge his rival to a duel. An entertaining and surprising story of young love.

"The Crush" is part of The Oscar® Collection: A Selection of Irish Academy Award® Nominated Short Films. It was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Short Film (Live Action) in 2011. To see more from this collection, click here.

The Irish Film Institute’s Oscar® Collection: A Selection of Irish Academy Award® Nominated Short Films.

A great short film, like a great short story, conjures worlds with clarity and economy, bringing viewers on journeys which are brief but deeply engrossing. Since the 1950s, Irish filmmakers have mastered the short film form and secured international recognition with an impressive array of awards including many Academy Award® nominations and victories. Popularly known as the Oscars, the awards are the most famous and prestigious in the entertainment industry.

This collection brings together a selection of these award-winning films – ghostly tales and pitch-black comedies, illuminating documentaries and exquisite animations – populated by an array of famous folks such as Seán O’Casey, Orson Welles, Fionnula Flanagan, and Brendan Gleeson. The films, directed and written by Irish men and women, date from 1951 to 2018.

The Oscar® Collection: A Selection of Irish Academy Award® Nominated Short Films is drawn from material preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive.

This programme is supported by the Government of Ireland through the National BCP Network.

“The Crush” is published here thanks to the Irish Film Institute (IFI), who IrishCentral has partnered up with throughout 2023 to bring you a taste of what their remarkable collection entails. You can find all IrishCentral articles and videos from the IFI here.

To watch more historic Irish footage, visit the IFI Archive Player, the Irish Film Institute’s virtual viewing room that provides audiences around the globe free, instant access to Irish heritage preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive. Irish Culture from the last century is reflected through documentaries, animation, adverts, amateur footage, feature films, and much more. You can also download the IFI Archive Player App for free on iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku.

IrishCentral has partnered up with the IFI throughout 2023 to bring you a taste of what their remarkable collections entail. You can find all IrishCentral articles and videos from the IFI here.