Oscars 2026 – Animated, Documentary, & Live-Action Shorts

Elysia is joined by Brandon from ShortStick blog and podcast for a look at the five nominees for each of the three short-film Oscar categories: Animated Shorts (00:08:29), Documentary Shorts (00:29:07), and Live-Action Shorts (00:54:48).

They lay out what each short film is, what makes it stand out, and where you can see them (when possible), as they discuss how short films works differently from feature films and the more difficult path to nomination, and also call out other top shorts from this awards season that they think Lorehounds listeners will also love.

Find Brandon at: Shortstick Films blog & podcast (on Spotify)

ShortStick's Top 75 Short Films of 2025

Nominated Shorts:

Animated Shorts

• Butterfly – trailer, info, full film*
• Forevergreen – trailer, info, full film*
• The Girl Who Cried Pearls – trailer, info, full film* (in French), full film* (English dub)
• Retirement Plan – trailer, info
• The Three Sisters – trailer, info

Other shorts mentioned: Snow Bear (full film*), Playing God, The Night Boots, Hurikán, The Shyness of Trees (full film*), Autokar (to rent*), Two Ships, Ovary-Acting (previous film: Night of the Living Dread; full film)

Note: All nominated (and shortlisted) animated films are available on Animation Showcase, available to (free) members of DeathRaceTracking.com

Documentary Shorts

• All the Empty Rooms – trailer, info (Netflix)
• Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud – trailer, info (HBO Max)
• Children No More: Were and Are Gone – trailer, info
• The Devil Is Busy – trailer, info (HBO Max)
• Perfectly a Strangeness – trailer, info

Other shorts mentioned: Bad Hostage, All the Walls Came Down (LA Times Docs), Classroom 4 (PBS, US only), We Were the Scenery (on FestivalScope until Feb 22), Neil Armstrong and the Langholmites, Shanti Rides Shotgun (Vimeo) Confession

Live-Action Shorts

• Butcher's Stain – trailer, info
• A Friend of Dorothy – trailer, info (Disney+)
• Jane Austen's Period Drama – trailer, info, full film* (new!)
• The Singers – trailer, info (Netflix, from Feb 13)
• Two People Exchanging Saliva – trailer, info, full film*

Other shorts mentioned: Beyond Silence, Dad’s Not Home, Extremist (full film*), The Pearl Comb (Disney+), Pantyhose, Blondi, Wonderwall, One Day This Kid (Criterion), A Bear Remembers, Nervous Energy, The Second Time Around

*Watch quickly! May be taken offline without warning.

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2025 at 7 pm ET (on ABC/Hulu in the US) – where it's aired around the world (last year's link)

Check how many Oscar nominees you've seen at OscarsDeathRace.com – or with extended stats and access to the animated shorts via DeathRaceTracking.com

Oscars 2026 coverage

Nominations + Best Picture preview

Live-Action, Animated, & Documentary Shorts (this episode)

Production Design, Costumes, Makeup & Hair

International Features

Documentary Features

Animated Features

Score & Original Song

Cinematography, Editing, Sound, VFX

Director, Original & Adapted Screenplay

Lead & Supporting Actor & Actress, Casting

Ceremony reactions + Best Picture rankings

Deep dives into 2026 Oscar nominees

Sinners

One Battle After Another – pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3

Frankenstein

Weapons

Shorts: “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” “The Singers,” “Retirement Plan,” and “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”

For subscribers: Leiden IFF – WhachaWachin (Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, and Arco)

Additional awards coverage

BAFTA longlisted shorts

Independent Spirit Awards preview

BAFTAs preview

Revisit Oscars 2024 & 2025: links in these show notes

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