The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Robert Valley's animated short Pear Cider and Cigarettes, has been nominated for an Oscar at the upcoming 2017 Academy Awards.

Robert graduated from ECU's Fine Arts program with a major in Animation in 1992.

Pear Cider and Cigarettes is the brutally honest story of Robert's turbulent relationship with a self-destructive, yet charismatic friend from childhood, who cries out for help from a military hospital in China and sets Rob on a wild ride to get him home to Vancouver.

The 32-minute short was originally self-published as a multi-volume graphic novel, but was always intended to be turned into an animated film. Not only did Valley completely hand-draw all of the artwork, he animated the film solely in Photoshop.

Written and directed by Valley, the film was produced in association with Passion Pictures Animation.

The Academy Awards will be held February 26, 2017.