Her acclaimed short film might just land London director Portia A Buckley with an Oscar nod

It's shaping up to be a big week for Portia A Buckley, as the director finds out whether she can officially call herself a Bafta and Oscar nominee. Her exquisite short film Clodagh is among those to make the longlist for both awards, which are currently being voted on by the academies; the Bafta nominees are announced on Wednesday, with the Oscars following two days later. "It's been really exciting," she says.

- Nick Clark

Clodagh is her fourth short film, co-written with her husband Michael Lindley and acclaimed at festivals around the world. Just 16 minutes long, it tells the story of Mrs Kelly, who works for the church in an Irish village and teaches dance to girls. One day she meets an extraordinary young dancer called Clodagh, and has a difficult decision to make.

"We didn't want to make a perfect 10-minute political movie to get into a film festival," the 33-year-old director says. "This is a joyful story. It has that universal quality of someone coming to a crossroads in their life and having a moral dilemma. Do you follow your head or your heart?"