2026 Oscar Nominated Shorts

2026 Oscar Nominated Short Films

Every year a bunch of films get nominated in the Oscar shorts categories that most people know little about. For me, it isn’t until the shortlists get announced in mid-December before I have any idea what the possible frontrunners are. Many of these films become available on streaming sites such as Netflix and YouTube. Only five end up getting nominated in each of the three Oscar categories: Best Animated Short, Best Live-Action Short, and Best Documentary Short. This week everyone will get a chance to see them as they will be released in packaged form in select theaters.

I’ve now seen all the nominees and, as is my way, I’ve ranked each according to preference with a note as to which I think has the best chance to win the Oscar.

Best Animated Short:

Forevergreen – This one snuck up on me. At first, I thought it was just a cute film about a bear and a tree but it’s one of the only animated shorts here that really says something. The relationship that exists between the bear and tree is mutually beneficial. The tree offers protection and healthy food for the bear. When the latter discovers the junk food left by campers, it sets him down a dark path. It is the tree that ultimately comes to his rescue. Yet, there is a lifespan for everything. The question is: are we polluting the earth and nature with a lot of crap or do we respect the importance of nature to help it out, thus benefitting us all? There’s a friendship between every living thing found in nature, and the film suggests we should take the time to see and honor it.
The Three Sisters – This is one of the most fun of all the shorts nominees this year. It’s about three sisters living in separate houses on a very small island. They are church-going and lead a humble life – until a man shows up! Without any dialogue, we see how the three of them are transformed by his presence and how competitive they become for his attention. It’s a very humorous, cleverly constructed little film.
Butterfly (Papillon) – This might likely be the Oscar winner in the category. Based on a true story, it’s a very painterly-looking, hand-drawn short about a boy who conquers his fears by becoming an internationally recognized swimmer. However, given that it is the 1930s and he is a French Jew, things don’t always go well for him. While it is thematically dark, the film is ultimately about friendship, perseverance, and overcoming hatred.
The Girl Who Cried Pearls – I was initially struck by the beauty of the world created in this stop-motion animated Canadian short. It’s about a boy who lives in a run-down building next to a dysfunctional family, including a girl who cries pearls. He feels for her but also has the chance to make money off her pearls. Outside of a few unclear narrative details, what distracted me from this one was the cold, expressionless faces on the characters. They come across as almost zombie-like which I’m sure was far from the intention. Still, it is visually stunning aside from this.
Retirement Plan – I’d seen this Irish short when the Oscar shortlists were first announced. Narrated by actor Domhnall Gleeson, it’s the story about a man’s many plans for life after retirement. The animation is basic and hand-drawn, and the narrative becomes simply a list of things this man intends to do. They’re mostly all activities many of us can relate to but that don’t come across as anything unique. There is just not a lot to be impressed with here for it to be in the same creative category with the other four films.

Best Live Action Short

Two People Exchanging Saliva - I’ve now seen this one twice and was even more impressed with it the second time. The French film takes place in a time when emotions and love are not to be expressed in public. Malaise is a 24-year-old woman who appears to be a bit of a rebel. Working in a department store, she develops a connection to an older married woman named Angine with whom she plays a fantasy game, offering them the chance to have some sort of “relationship.” There are some strange aspects to the film such as the slapping and bruising which takes place among people who, presumably, are buying into excess. It’s a mix of invited physical pain with an almost visible badge of honor. The whole concept is wildly original and the production design, shot in black and white, is quite elegant. There are recurring rectangular visual motifs which serve to underscore the darkest side of this culture, which I won’t spoil. The score is lush, and the acting is stellar. It bears some comparison to Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated film Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara but set in a very different and disturbing time. I think this one could very well win the Oscar this year.
Jane Austen’s Period Drama – This British short stands in sharp contrast to the previous one tonally. It looks like a Jane Austen period drama with its lavish settings and costumes along with stylized, precise dialogue, but don’t be fooled: This is one of the funniest films nominated this year. When we think of “period drama” we, of course, think about what all the filmmakers that have adapted Austen’s work have done best: take us back to a romantic period where women and men have distinctive roles. In this case, the “period,” well, is something all women are familiar with… It’s a twist on the title and comes across very humorlessly as the attractive male protagonist is clearly in the dark about a woman’s biological make up. I’d watch this one again in a second! It may be too “slight” for Oscar voters but it’s a great and welcome satire.
Butcher’s Stain - This one might also have a chance at winning because of its relevance to world events. Samir is a highly regarded butcher working in Israel. In fact, there seems to be no other worthy such butchers within the region. He’s got a great personality and is committed to his job. One day posters of Israeli hostages are put up in the store’s breakroom. When they appear to be torn down, everyone points to Samir as the likely culprit. It’s a heartbreaking story that exposes our prejudices and racist behavior during a time of socio-political crisis. The final twist near the end makes the situation at once humorous but even sadder.
A Friend of Dorothy – I wish I wasn’t ranking this one so low because it really is a good film. At the beginning an older woman named Dorothy has passed away and there are two young men present at the reading of her will. One is her biological grandson who is dressed in business clothes and clearly expecting an inheritance of sorts. The other is a black male dressed more casually who we find out has been a friend to Dorothy during her declining years. He visits her regularly and she exposes him to her vast collection of plays that align her bookshelves. Not only is he offering her companionship, but she allows him to find who he really is inside. The film is sweet and illustrates the importance of feeding one’s soul versus pocketbook. I wouldn’t be bothered if this film won the Oscar.
The Singers – Another solid nominee that is unlike anything else here. Based on a short story, it takes place on a cold night in a small bar where wearisome men drink and quietly cavort. The tight close-ups on their faces suggests life is tough for each and they all need some way to express themselves and let out their pain. A contest is established so that the best singer in the bar will win $100 and a free beer. Slowly, the men individually begin to sing, and each is better than the last. One man plays the piano, another one dances but each clearly needs this form of expression. Watching their unlikely talents is quite beautiful to see and hear.

Best Documentary Short

Children No More: Were & Are Gone - This is generally a tough category. Most of the films can be difficult to watch and often poke at current social-political issues. This year is no different. The reason I ranked this short first is because it is the most surprising and revealing of them all. The focus is on protestors in Israel who are not only against the war with Palestine but that choose to stage silent demonstrations by holding up photos of the 18,000+ children that have been killed in Gaza since the current war began. Yes, they want hostages released but more they want people to know that their government has wasted thousands of young lives. These silent protestors are also met with resistance by locals who are against Gaza. It’s an interesting look at the inside of a country engaged in a war that some in the west might assume is completely unified in its horrifying acts such as killing children. The tone of the film feels like the stories associated with the AIDS quilt in the 1980s: innocent people have died due to government carelessness.
The Devil is Busy – This is also a fascinating film which follows people who are running a women’s health center in Atlanta. Beginning with the pre-dawn preparations to the arrival of “guests” (those seeking abortions) and protestors, the film is an eye-opening look at how difficult the job is for those working in such centers but also how committed they are to their jobs. They respectfully treat women from several states where abortion is illegal. What’s also interesting is how often words like “Jesus” and “God” are used amongst the workers and the protestors. They each have their own perspective on how to interpret their Bible teachings. The film makes clear that there is plenty of subjectivity involved in the decisions both sides are making but ultimately the center is trying to help women in a very difficult time in their lives.
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud - This is a very moving profile of a documentary filmmaker/photojournalist who died in the early days of Russia’s assault on Ukraine. The film features Renaud’s work in war torn locations such as Iraq, Haiti, and Somalia before Ukraine. However, there’s also quite a bit of footage of his dead body as well as his funeral, the amount of which may be considered overly indulgent. Still, this is a moving and very sad portrait of someone devoted to documenting people suffering thanks again to government decisions that affect whole populations. This film could win the Oscar this year, especially if the documentary filmmakers want to honor one of their own.
All the Empty Rooms – This may be the most likely Oscar-winner. It’s centered on CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman’s project to record the memories of children killed in school shootings. Specifically, he and his camera crew visit the homes of families who have kept their deceased children’s bedrooms intact since the day they were killed. The idea is to focus more on the kids that have been lost than on the usual emphasis on the killers responsible. It’s a very quiet, sad, and sobering film also featuring interviews with family members who provide access to many home videos of their lost children. The film might not have the larger international scope of some of the other films, but it is very emotionally affecting.
Perfectly A Strangeness – This might be the most perplexing of all the shorts nominated this year. It follows three donkeys who wander an area that is initially filled with awe-inspiring mountains but that then becomes filled with what appear to be some kind of technological centers. Without any dialogue or narration, we can only infer that these are actually cosmic observatories that the donkeys are stumbling upon. There are several shots of them appearing to “hear” the various sounds coming from these settings. While the cinematography is very beautiful there’s a repetitiveness that sets in and because we really don’t know what the goal of the documentary is, the monotony becomes distracting. I really can’t say how or why this film made the final cut but here it is, and it has no chance of winning.

The Oscar-Nominated Shorts will play in theaters throughout the country beginning this week, including at the Music Box Theater in Chicago.