DETROIT — Potterville, Michigan, got a big shout-out on the Oscar stage on Sunday night.

Sam A. Davis, a filmmaker from Potterville — just southwest of Lansing — shouted out his hometown when he was accepting the best live Action short film award for his film "The Singers." "The Singers" tied for the award, sharing an Oscar with "Two People Exchanging Saliva."

"I didn't know that was a thing, to tie. But we're happy to be up here," said Davis, accepting the award alongside his producers, Jack Piatt and David Breschel. "First, I want to thank my parents, who convinced a kid from Potterville, Michigan, that this was a viable career avenue. Thank you, Mom and Dad."

"The Singers" is about an impromptu singing contest at a dive bar that turns a lonely night into a soul-baring moment of shared harmony, according to a plot summary. The film — which was shot, edited and produced by Davis — is available to stream on Netflix.

This was the second Academy Award nomination for Davis; he was also nominated at the 2024 Academy Awards as a producer of "Nai Nai & Wài Pó," which was nominated in the best documentary short film category.

Davis, who is also a cinematographer — he shot 2024's "Didi" — also shouted out the La Habra Moose Lodge during his speech. A favorite bar in Potterville, perhaps? Nope, it's the dive bar about 40 minutes outside of Los Angeles where "The Singers" was filmed.

Accepting the Oscar on Sunday, Davis continued, "'The Singers' is a simple story about the power of music and art to bring us together in a moment when we live in an increasingly isolated world. May we keep looking for beauty in unexpected places, and may we all be brave enough to keep on singing. Thank you."

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