2026 Oscar Short Films Shortlist

2026 Oscar The shortlist was revealed on Tuesday, and the Live Action Short and Animated Short categories demonstrate a taste for the fantastical, the existential and the courage required to face great fear.

Each short uniquely demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit when faced with prejudice, trauma, or supernatural elements beyond themselves. Among the notable short films that took their place in the 15 allocated spots on the shortlist is Leigh Knight Dorothy's friend The camera focuses on the unlikely duo of JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu), a quirky high school student with a hidden talent for theater, and Dorothy (Miriam Margolyes), an older woman seeking companionship during an illness, who strike up a sweet and mutually beneficial friendship. The short film, which was also produced by Stephen Daldry and Sonia Friedman, received numerous awards at various festivals, including the Indie Shorts Awards Cannes, HollyShorts London, HollyShorts Los Angeles and OUTshine Film Festival.

This year's dose of existential diversity comes from Spain and Ireland. James A. Castillo Ghost of Quinta is a fascinating exploration of the baggage we carry to the grave and whether we can lighten its load. The Gothic-inspired animation provides a glimpse into the final years of Spanish artist Francisco de Goya's life as he is tormented by demons from his past that he tries to exorcise with dark paintings on the walls of his villa. The short film won two Méliès d'Argent awards at the Sitges Film Festival and the Best Art Direction award at the Almeria International Film Festival. At John Kelly's Pension planthe looming thought of death is presented with a dose of humor. The seven-minute short film follows Ray (Domhnall Gleeson), a man of retirement age who ponders all the things he wants to do after retirement, such as finally clearing out his desk, taking part in an orgy, or catching up on ten years of books he's put off reading. Kelly won the Grand Jury Award and Audience Award at SXSW earlier this year, as well as awards at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, the Indy Shorts International Film Festival and the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Directors Giovanna Ferrari bring mysticism to the party Eyrua unique 2D animated tale that dates back to the Iron Age of ancient Celtic folklore and tells the story of a brave young female warrior who must save her village from drought; Macek Szczerbowski and Chris Lavis The Girl Who Cried Pearls is a moral fable that conveys the idea that in the quest for love and social status, even the purest heart is protected from corruption? And in the tale of fisherman Ali Kook: Pearl combIn the film, set in the late 1800s, a humble medicine woman brings life-saving medicine to the people of her small village in Cornwall; however, when her divine powers become suspicious, the mysterious source of her powers may be revealed.

Other standout films on today's list were short films that drew on varying degrees of reality between the natural rhythms of the human body, innate cravings, and the aftermath of untreated horrors within a mental health crisis.

A funny comedy from Julia Ax and Steve Pinder, praised by the likes of Dame Emma Thompson JAna Austin-era drama. This Jane Austen-inspired comedy is set during the Regency era. It follows Ms. Estrogenia (Ax) as she gets her period in the midst of a long-awaited marriage proposal. Upon seeing blood accidentally leaking through her dress, her suitor, Mr. Dikli (Taimua), mistakes a bodily function for a serious wound, leading to a series of comic incidents and meaningful conversations about the destigmatization of menstruation. Thompson, who is no stranger to Austen adaptations and is also an executive consultant on the film's Menstrual Cycle, called the short a “bold, groundbreakingly funny piece of work” in an interview with the magazine Hollywood Reporter. It has also won awards at several festivals, including the HollyShorts Comedy Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest and the Indy Shorts International Film Festival.

The dystopian crowds are pulling the strings. Two people exchange saliva. Written and directed by Alexander Singh and Natalie Musteata, this black-and-white short film takes place in a reality where people pay for items with bodily harm and kissing is a death sentence. Two women (Zar Amir and Luana Bajrami) must figure out how to develop an interest in each other while staying under the radar of a repressive regime. The short film won the Best Drama Short Film Award at Out on Film in Atlanta and also won the Canal+ and Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival.

Sam Henderson Ado calls attention to the rise in gun violence in the country. It's a stunning portrait of mental health, told through the eyes of an overworked and underpaid teacher (Jennifer Lewis) as she rehearses with her young class for a William Shakespeare play. Much ado about nothinga disgruntled former student bursts in with a gun. The emotional stirrer scored wins at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, the BronzeLens Atlanta Film Festival and the Cleveland International Film Festival.

These are just a few of today's deserving shortlisted contenders. Voting for nominations will begin on January 12 and end on January 16. The final five short films and animated shorts will then be read in the Oscar nominations telecast on January 22. The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15.

Here's the full list of short film and animated feature nominees:

CARTOONS

Bus

Butterfly

Cardboard

Eyru

Evergreen

The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Hurricane

I died in Irpen

Night boots

Playing God

Ghost of Quinta

Pension plan

Shyness of trees

Snow bear

Three sisters

LIVE ACTION SHORTS

Ado

Yellow

Beyond Silence

Boy with white skin

Butcher's stain

Butterfly on a wheel

Dad is not at home

Extremist

Dorothy's friend

Jane Austen historical dramas

Tights

Pearl comb

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Singers

Two people exchange saliva