'' Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 '' is a 2016 American documentary film directed by Frank Stiefel . Its subject is the artist Mindy Alper . The film earned a nomination for Best Short from the IDA Awards , and won both audience and jury awards at both the Full Frame Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival . It won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 90th Academy Awards . '' Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 '' is a film created from more than 20 hours of interviews between the film 's subject , Mindy Alper , and director Frank Stiefel . Alper is a visual artist who channels her inner anxiety , depression , trauma and other demons into vivid drawings and papier-mâché sculptures
90th Academy Awards
90th Academy Awards
Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405