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'All the Empty Rooms' Wins Best Documentary Short at the Oscars After Uvalde Mother Addresses Audience

The short memorializes children through untouched bedrooms to humanize the toll of school shootings.

Overview

  • Gloria Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie was killed in Uvalde, spoke on stage, saying her child’s room remains frozen in time.
  • She told the audience that gun violence is now the leading cause of death for kids and teens and urged viewers to confront the reality represented by the empty rooms.
  • The 33-minute film follows CBS News journalist Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp on a multi-year project documenting families’ preserved spaces.
  • Director Joshua Seftel accepted the award alongside producer Conall Jones, Hartman, and Cazares, noting the four children featured: Hallie, Gracie, Dominic, and Jackie.
  • Released in August 2025, the Oscar-winning short is streaming on Netflix and has renewed attention on the lasting impact of school shootings, including the 2022 Robb Elementary attack that killed 19 children and two teachers.