A Guide to the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films
For Oscar fanatics, Best Animated Short Film is always one of the easiest Oscar categories to complete, if for no other reason than the nominees rarely run for longer than 15 minutes. This year’s crop is as typically brief as ever, no paradoxically long shorts here! As always, this category contains a much wider array of animation styles than the films found in Best Animated Feature Film. With this year’s nominees, hand-drawn, stop-motion, and even more unconventional styles are all represented, reminding us that there’s much more to animation than the CGI stylings that clog multiplexes. There’s something of value to be found in each of the five films, so let’s go through them and see if there’s an obvious potential winner amongst them. Check your local listings of where to catch them in theaters or online if available down below.
Butterfly (15m)
If this category were only about rewarding the most innovative style of animation, Butterfly would be the unquestionable winner. The dreamy film tells the true story of Alfred Nakache, a Jewish competitive swimmer who competed at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, survived being separated from his family at Auschwitz, and went on to compete in the Olympics once again, this time in London in 1948.
To bring this extraordinary tale to the screen, director Florence Miailhe made the unique choice to use animated oil paintings. This gives the film a swirling, fantastical energy, which not only calls to mind the movements of water that were so familiar to Nakache, but it also feels like watching someone else’s memory somehow brought to visual life. The transitions between moments are particularly stunning, flowing from one image to another in stylish, unexpected ways. It’s simply a gorgeous experience, using animation to tell its story with an emphasis on the unique qualities that are only possible in this medium. (Watch here)
Grade: A-
Forevergreen (13m)
This category loves animals. Almost every year, one of the nominated films centers around some sort of furry or barnyard creature and this year is no exception. Forevergreen follows an adorable bear cub as he grows from child to adult, aided by a living tree that looks after and provides for him. Of course, there eventually comes a time when the bear wants to venture out on his own, leading to conflict between tree and bear.
The parental metaphor is obvious, making the short feel like a less profound version of “The Giving Tree.” The most unexpected moment comes at the film’s conclusion, which ends with a Bible quote. That certainly makes it the only film nominated at this year’s Oscars to directly cite the good book, and coming at the end of a simple but unremarkable story, it’s certainly surprising (and arguably startling). The animals are admittedly cute, with a variety of forest creatures popping in to interact with our bear protagonist (a family of porcupines is especially adorable). And the animation used to bring the woodland menagerie to life is blessedly unique, using character designs that are meant to resemble carved wood. But as a story, Forevergreen is as hollow as a decaying tree. (Watch here)
Grade: C
The Girl Who Cried Pearls (17m)
Stop-motion animation is one of the most magical forms of visual storytelling that exists. The care, time, and effort required to accomplish even the simplest of movements is always awe-inspiring, and the craft of The Girl Who Cried Pearls is undoubtedly its greatest accomplishment for that very reason. Told using the framing device of an old man recounting a notable chapter from his childhood to a younger listener, all of the characters in the flashback that makes up most of the short film resemble moving dolls with unchanging faces. This lends the film a haunting quality, calling to mind the kinds of frightening, fantastical parables that have been used to entertain children for centuries. The stunningly detailed sets that these figures inhabit further emphasize the film’s incredible handmade element.
The narrator tells of his difficult childhood as a homeless waif, living in an abandoned apartment next door to a tempestuous family. The young daughter of the family had a particularly unusual ability: when she cried, her eyes emitted perfectly formed pearls in place of tears. She discarded the pearls in order to not draw the attention of her abusive father, and the narrator was able to collect them. He brought them to a greedy pawn shop owner who tried to encourage the reluctant boy to continue gathering these physical signs of emotional distress. It’s an engrossing tale told with undeniable beauty, but the resolution threatens to completely undo nearly everything that came before. It’s a severely deflating conclusion for an otherwise eerily gorgeous little film. (Watch here)
Grade: B
Retirement Plan (7m)
The shortest of all the nominees, Retirement Plan manages to cram more hilarity and poignant moments into seven minutes than some full-length films do with a feature runtime. It’s a wordy short, with Domhnall Gleeson serving as narrator. The script by John Kelly (also the director) and Tara Lawall follows a steady pattern. Almost like a poem, it’s made up of a series of phrases that begin with “I,” as a man tells of all the thrilling, life-affirming activities he’ll finally take part in once he has the time after retiring. Accompanying this voiceover are a series of quick vignettes that bring these thoughts to life, with the man getting notably older and older as the film goes on.
The narrator’s declarations range from the banal, like finally clearing out his inbox, to the broadly profound (in what’s arguably the most effective and relatable moment, he promises “I’ll travel more, I’ll travel more, I’ll travel more”). And the humor is matter-of-fact and direct, such as one instance where he says “I will paraglide,” before quickly correcting “I won’t paraglide,” with an accompanying illustration of the disastrous potential of such a hobby. The animation is simple but unique, allowing the spoken word aspect of the film to shine. And underscoring the entire piece is a pretty but mournful repetitive piano theme, giving all moments, regardless of their comedic intent, a quiet, gentle sadness. Retirement Plan is a powerful piece that emphasizes the importance of not waiting to truly live. (Watch here)
Grade: A-
The Three Sisters (14m)
The Three Sisters features no dialogue, emphasizing the versatile and expressive abilities of animated storytelling. Instead, the titular trio and those they encounter communicate to themselves – and the audience – using only grunts, laughs, and other wordless sounds. The sisters live on a small island in three adjoining cottages, until one day when a financial accident forces two of the sisters to room together and put the third home up for rent. The man who comes to board with them ends up changing the sisters’ lives in totally unexpected ways, awakening them to exciting and hilarious possibilities.
Without a doubt, this is the funniest of the five nominated shorts. Director Konstantin Bronzit is able to construct fantastic visual gags and comedic bits, even with the severe limitations he imposed upon himself. The lack of spoken dialogue is one difficulty hurdle the film clears, but the single location and minimal number of camera angles further force creativity on the animation’s part. The hand-drawn characters are brought to life through distinct design and movement that’s expressive, but not excessively so. There’s little more to the story than the laughs, but in this category, that’s not always a bad thing. (Not currently streaming)
Grade: B+
Oscar Chances
In recent years, voters have preferred to award profundity and weighty topics in this category, which means that Forevergreen and The Three Sisters are probably out of the running. The Girl Who Cried Pearls bears a strong thematic resemblance to last year’s winner In the Shadow of the Cypress, and its gentle, evocative tone also draws easy comparison to recent victor The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. On the other hand, animated shorts with an impactful true-life angle have also found favor with voters, like War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko and If Anything Happens I Love You, which may benefit Butterfly. Or perhaps the combination of humor and relatable themes will help Retirement Plan rise above the pack as the most universally-accessible of the nominees. But as usual, all of the nominated filmmakers should prepare a speech, as this category can always surprise.
He currently resides in Chicago and is a proud member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. He also writes and podcasts for Next Best Picture and co-hosts his own podcast “Halloweeners: A Horror Movie Podcast.” You can follow him on Twitter, Letterboxd, and Bluesky @codymonster91
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