2026 Oscar-Qualified Shorts – Top 20 for Lorehounds
The Lorehounds9 Joulu 2025

2026 Oscar-Qualified Shorts – Top 20 for Lorehounds

Today, voting for the 2026 Oscar shortlists began, lasting all week – these 20 (or, er, 26) Oscar-qualified live-action and animated shorts are all eligible. Whether or not they make the shortlist (some of them will), here's why you might want to watch – from mermaid folk horror or brutal griffin hunts to gentle tales of the lists we make in life, or coming of age as an immigrant.


Letterboxd lists

Eligible live-action shorts – category analysis

Eligible animated shorts – category analysis

Eligible documentary shorts


The Rankings

  1. TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA – trailer – info – full film*
  2. MERCY – interview – info
  3. JANE AUSTEN'S PERIOD DRAMA – interview – info
  4. JUST THE USUAL – trailer – info
  5. THE PEARL COMB – trailer – info
  6. PORELESS – trailer – info – full film*
  7. THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS – trailer – info
  8. DALY CITY – trailer – info – full film*
  9. HURIKÁN – trailer – info
  10. RETIREMENT PLAN– trailer – info – full film*
  11. TRAPPED – review – info
  12. GIGI – trailer – info – full film* (French or German subtitles only)
  13. ONE LAST ROUND – trailer – info
  14. KOVARTY – trailer – info – full film*
  15. SCARS WE LOVE – trailer – info – full film* (French subtitles only)
  16. EM & SELMA GO GRIFFIN HUNTING – VFX panel – info
  17. THE SECOND TIME AROUND – trailer – info – full film* (UK only)
  18. MARCIA AND THE SHARK – trailer – info – full film*
  19. THE SINGERS – trailer – info
  20. LES BÊTES – trailer – info – full film*
  21. BEYOND SILENCE – trailer – info – full film* (Dutch subtitles only)
  22. HOLY CURSE – trailer – info – full film*
  23. MERCENAIRE – trailer – info
  24. ONE DAY, THIS KID – trailer – info – on Kanopy & Criterion
  25. PLAYING GOD – trailer – info
  26. MUSHROOM DAD – review – info


*May disappear when shortlists / nominations are announced (or sooner).


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