A Welsh short film is making its play for Academy Awards consideration.

Something Pointless begins its Oscar-qualifying run at San Francisco’s Roxie Theater August 28 through September 3. The screening positions the film for Best Live Action Short consideration at the 99th Academy Awards.

The film follows a lonely, bullied boy who forms an unlikely bond with an elderly man. Their connection centers on a quiet daily ritual that becomes an unexpected act of defiance.

Director Asa Bailey (Silo, 100 Years of Solitude) leads a cast including BAFTA winner Owen Teale (Game of Thrones), Olivier Award winner Sophie Thompson (Gosford Park), and SAG nominee Sule Rimi (The Day of the Jackal).

The festival circuit has been kind. Something Pointless has screened at 68 festivals worldwide, racking up 25 wins and 49 nominations. Recent honors include Best Short Film at Baarìa Film Festival in Sicily, Best International Short Film at the Zepstone Film Awards, and Best Actor for Teale at Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival.

The screenplay, written by Neil Graham and David Cormican, won first place in the 2010 Canadian Short Screenplay Competition. Sixteen years later, it’s finally getting its moment.

For indie filmmakers grinding through the festival circuit, Something Pointless is a reminder that patience sometimes pays off.