All Oscar-Qualified Animated Short Films 2026

Full List with of All 113 Oscar-Qualified Animated Short Film Trailers, Festival Wins & Official Qualification Paths

Last Updated: 20th of November 2025

List of all 113 qualified Animated Short Films 2026 (alphabetical order)

• THE 12 INCH PIANIST by Lucas Ansel (US) - Full Film Available
• AHIMSA by Craig Lew (US)
• ALL HEART by Michael Govier & Will McCormack (US)
• ALWAYS & FOREVER by Shanice Kamminga (The Netherlands)
• AUTOKAR by Sylwia Szkiłądź (Belgium/France/Poland)
• BALCONIES by Xenia Smirnov (Germany)
• BLACK MAN, BLACK MAN by Frank Abney (US)
• BOUND by Masha Ellsworth (US/Germany/Ukraine)
• BROWN MORNING by Carlo Vogele (France/Luxembourg)
• BUDŌ by Amanda Aagard & Alexander Toma (Sweden)
• THE BURAL OF NATTY BUMPPO by Fred Burns (US)
• BUTTERFLY by Florence Miailhe (France)
• BUTTERFLY KISS by Zohar Dvir (Germany/Israel) - Full Film Available
• CAFUNÉ by Lorena Ares & Carlos F. de Vigo (Spain)
• CAPYBARAS by Alfredo Soderguit (France/Uruguay/Chile)
• CARDBOARD by J.P. Vine (UK)
• COMO SI LA TIERRA SE LAS HUBIERA TRAGADO by Natalia León (France)
• CRIMINAL by Robe Imbriano (US) - Full Film Available
• DAVID by Kai Xue & Hong Jiexi (China)
• DEMBAYA by Borja Espana Guillot (Ireland)
• DETLEV by Ferdinand Ehrhardt (Germany)
• DULL SPOTS OF GREENISH COLOURS by Sasha Svirsky (Germany)
• EARTH COAL by Bastien Dupriez (France)
• THE EGGREGORES' THEORY by Andrea Gatopoulos (Italy)
• ÉIRU by Giovanna Ferrari (Ireland)
• THE EATING OF AN ORANGE by May Kindred-Boothby (UK/France)
• ESCORT by Rick Williamson (US)
• FATHER FIGURE by Shek Ka Chun (Hong Kong)
• FILANTE by Marion Jamault (France)
• THE FLING by Jemma Cotter (Australia)
• FLOWER_GAN by Mati Granica (UK) - Full Film Available
• FOREVERGREEN by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears (US)
• FRACTI by Lavinia Petrache (Romania/Switzerland)
• FREE THE CHICKES by Matúš Vizár (Slovakia/Czech Republic)
• GIGI by Cynthia Calvi (France)
• THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski (Canada)
• GLASS HOUSE by Boris Labbé (France)
• GRIT by Abdulazeez Al-Refai (Kuwait)
• HAIRY LEG by Andrea Dorfman (Canada)
• Hands
• HELEN by Helio Mira (Spain)
• HUMANTIS by Paris Baillie (US)
• HUNTING by Lea Favre (Switzerland)
• HURIKÁN by Jan Saska (Czech Republic)
• I DIED IN IRPIN by Anastasia Falileieva (Czech Republic/Slovakia/Ukraine)
• INKWO FOR WHEN THE STARVING RETURN by Amanda Strong (Canada)
• IT SHOULDN’T RAIN TOMORROW by Maria Trigo Teixeira (Portugal/Germany)
• JESUS 2 by Jesse Moynihan (US/Colombia)
• LA MANCHA NEGRA by Yareni Velázquez Mendoza (Mexico)
• LARVAL by Alice Bloomfield (UK)
• LES BÊTES by Michael Granberry (US) - Full Film Available
• LONG DISTANCE by Iulia Voitova (France)
• LOOP LINE by Renuka Shahane (India)
• LUZ DIABLE by Gervasio Canda & Paula Boffo & Patricio Plaza (Argentinia/Canada)
• MARTYR’S GUIDEBOOK by Maks Rzontkowski (Poland)
• MORAL SUPPORT by Vuk Jevremović (Germany/Croatia)
• MOTHER’S CHILD by Naomi Noir (The Netherlands)
• MURMURATION by Janneke Swinkels & Tim Frijsinger (Belgium/Netherlands)
• MY BROTHER, MY BROTHER by Abdelrahman Dnewar & Saad Dnewar (Egypt/France/Germany)
• MY GUT BROTHER by Becho Lo Bianco & Mariano Bergara (Argentinia/Mexico)
• MY HOMELAND (MAWTINI) by Tabarak Abbas (Switzerland)
• A NIGHT AT THE REST AREA by Saki Muramoto (Japan)
• THE NIGHT BOOTS by Pierre-Luc Granjon (France)
• NO VACANCY by Miguel Rodrick (US)
• ON WEARY WINGS GO BY by Anu-Laura Tuttelberg (Estonia/Lithuania)
• ORDINARY LIFE (FUTSU NO SEIKATSU) by Yoriko Mizushiri (France/Japan)
• OVARY-ACTING by Ida Melum (Norway/Sweden/UK)
• OVERTURE by Jakub Hronský (Czech Republic)
• PARADISE MAN II by Jordan Michael Blake (US)
• PATTERNS by Alex Glawion (Germany)
• PIETRA by Cynthia Levitan (Portugal)
• PLAYING GOD by Matteo Burani (Italy/France)
• PÓG MO PIGEON by Cliodhna Lyons (Ireland)
• POW by Joey Clift (US)
• PSYCHONAUTS by Niko Radas (Croatia)
• PUPPET AND THE WHALE by Roberto Catani (France/Italy)
• THE QUINTA’S GHOST by James A. Castillo (Spain)
• RADIX by Anne Breymann (Germany)
• RETIREMENT PLAN by John Kelly (Ireland) - Full Film Available
• SAUDADE, PERHAPS by José-Manuel Barata Xavier (Portugal)
• SCARS WE LOVE by Raphael Jouzeau (France)
• SHADOWS by Rand Beiruty (Jordan/France)
• SHIMMER by Andrés Palma (Mexico)
• THE SHYNESS OF TREES by Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré, Lina Han, Simin He, Jiaxin Huang, Maud Le Bras & Bingqing Shu (France)
• SISOWATH QUAY by Stéphanie Lansaque & François Leroy (France)
• SKROLL by Marten Visser (The Netherlands)
• SNOW BEAR by Aaron Blaise (US)
• SOLSTICE by Luke Angus (Scotland)
• THE SONG OF DRIFTERS by Xindi Zhang (US)
• A SPARROW’S SONG by Tobias Eckerlin (Germany)
• SPARROWS by Rémi Durin (Belgium/France)
• SPEED READER by Jennifer Levonian (Spain)
• THE STORY OF SERGIO by Rosalba Vitellaro (Italy)
• SURF SOUP® BUTTONS by Donna Kay Lau (US)
• T-ZERO by Vicente Nirō (Portugal/Hungary)
• TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: CHROME ALONE 2 — LOST IN NEW JERSEY by Kent Seki (US)
• THE THREE SISTERS by Kognov Timur (Cyprus)
• TIDDLER by Alex Bain & Andy Martin (UK)
• TRANSFERABLE by Jacob Gardner & David Hubert (Canada)
• TRASH by ESMA students Gregory Bouzid, Maxime Crançon, Robin Delaporte, Matteo Durand, Romain Fleischer, Alexis Le Ral, Margaux Lutz & Fanny Vecchie (France)
• TWO BLACK BOYS IN PARADISE by Baz Sells (UK)
• TWO SHIPS by McKinley Benson (US/Portugal)
• UM
• VERSA by Malcon Pierce (US)
• A VERY TWISTED TALE by Catherine Buffat & Jean-Luc Gréco (France)
• VOYAGE OF THE RED RABBIT by Sam Gualtieri (US)
• WALK IN THE LIGHT by Princella Smith (US)
• A WALK INTO THE AFTERLIFE by Jiyun Jeong (Luxembourg)
• WEDNESDAYS WITH GRAMPS by Chris and Justin Copeland (US)
• WHALE 52 by Daniel Neiden (US)
• THE WIDE EYED GIRL AND THE LONG LEGGED BOY by Maria Hespanhol (Portugal)
• WINTER IN MARCH by Natalia Mirzoyan (Estonia,/Armenia/France)
• THE WOLF by Theodore Ushev (Canada)

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THE 12 INCH PIANIST by Lucas Ansel (US) - Full Film Available

🎬 Synopsis: A bar joke goes awry, unraveling into a surreal tale that explores the acceptance of self, others, and queer identity.

🌟 Qualified through: Silver Medal at Student Academy Awards

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/lucas_ansel/

AHIMSA by Craig Lew (US)

🎬 Synopsis: In a world shattered by warring AI armies, a prompt engineer and a cyber warrior race to upload a recording of children meditating that is so powerful it could stop the last weaponized AI faction from gaining ultimate power. Hope emerges not through conflict, but through the birth of a new AI trained for benevolence named Ahimsa.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://ahimsafilm.com/

ALWAYS & FOREVER by Shanice Kamminga (The Netherlands)

🎬 Synopsis: One room, five centuries: stories of love, loss, and everything in between.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

ALL HEART by Michael Govier & Will McCormack (US)

🎬 Synopsis: A father embarks on an emotional journey to visit a young man who has an extraordinary connection to his late daughter, exploring themes of grief, memory, and the transcendent power of love through hand-drawn artistry and AI-animation techniques.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

ℹ️ The filmmakers previously won the 2021 Oscar for Best Animated Short for "If Anything Happens I Love You.”

AUTOKAR by Sylwia Szkiłądź (Belgium/France/Poland)

🎬 Synopsis: In the 1990s, 8-year-old Agata travels alone by bus from Poland to Belgium. When she loses her pencil while writing a letter to her father, her search beneath the seats transforms into a dreamlike journey through a magical world of anthropomorphized animal passengers, turning the harsh reality of migration into an imaginative initiation experience.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Prize at Poland's Animator Festival

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/szki_szki/

BALCONIES by Xenia Smirnov (Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: Balconies showcases the peculiarities and endearing quirks of everyday life in a high-rise building by offering a glimpse into the balconies of its residents.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

BLACK MAN, BLACK MAN by Frank Abney (US)

🎬 Synopsis: A Black man navigates his day while quietly wrestling with the experiences that reinforce the need for healing the child within.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

BOUND by Masha Ellsworth (US/Germany/Ukraine)

🎬 Synopsis: A story as old as time, a popular Ukrainian folk song teases us with the poetic young love between passionate farm boy Ivanko and shy Galya, only to leave us wondering what drove them apart. Bound re-imagines this tale, weaving a new tapestry that explores whether love alone can reunite these Ukrainian "Romeo and Juliet" or if they are destined to remain trapped in a cycle of heartache. Through cross-stitch-inspired visuals and the sounds of traditional folk music, Bound breathes fresh life into this timeless story, inviting audiences to experience the beauty and fragility of human connection.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.masha-makes-movies.com/bound

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/bound_shortfilm/

BROWN MORNING by Carlo Vogele (France/Luxembourg)

🎬 Synopsis: Small compromises in big cowardice, gradually, Brown animals invade homes and take control. A authoritarian power with absurd laws is being set up. Pour ne pas avoir d’ennuis, Charly complies with the rules of this world without colors and discovers at his expense the horror of fascism.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

BUDŌ by Amanda Aagard & Alexander Toma (Sweden)

🎬 Synopsis: On a lonely widows daily trip to the supermarket she meets a stray cat. It follows her home, but soon makes itself more comfortable in her small Tokyo apartment than she could ever imagine.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animation Short at Palm Springs International ShortFest

🔗 https://www.premium-films.com/catalogue/budo

THE BURAL OF NATTY BUMPPO by Fred Burns (US)

🎬 Synopsis: What if one night the story of America as “The New World” was thoroughly interrupted? What if that story was retold as a viscerally emotional experience using aggressive imagery and a lush soundtrack keyed to the inspired music of George Winston?

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.nattybumppofilm.com/

BUTTERFLY by Florence Miailhe (France)

🎬 Synopsis: A man swims in the sea. This brings back memories. They are all connected to water, from his early childhood to his adult life. This will be the story of his last swim.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Prix International Competition at Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film

BUTTERFLY KISS by Zohar Dvir (Germany/Israel) - Full Film Available

🎬 Synopsis: Carol panics and quarrels with her girlfriend Ray after an unexpected proposal. The situation worsens when she wakes up to an apocalyptic reality and dreadfully discovers that Ray had transformed into a butterfly. Ray’s metamorphosis, the invasion of the outside world into their home and the growing tension between the two threaten their relationship. Carol is afraid of losing Ray…

...but devoting to her girlfriend might come at a price.

🌟 Qualified through: Gold Hugo - Best Animated Short Film at Chicago International Film Festival

🔗 https://zohardvir.com/Butterfly-Kiss

CAFUNÉ by Lorena Ares & Carlos F. de Vigo (Spain)

🎬 Synopsis: Alma, a solitary refugee child, is thrust back into her traumatic past when her doll falls into the swimming pool, mirroring the shipwreck of the refugee boat where she was the lone survivor. Luna, her savior, steps in to help her overcome her trauma and rebuild her life.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Goya Awards

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/cafuneshortfilm/

CAPYBARAS by Alfredo Soderguit (France/Uruguay/Chile)

🎬 Synopsis: Hunting season has begun. A family of capybaras seek refuge in a chicken coop, but the hens don't trust them. The curiosity of the youngest members of the families will create a union with unexpected consequences..

🌟 Qualified through: Best Latin American short film Award at Chilemonos

CARDBOARD by J.P. Vine (UK)

🎬 Synopsis: When an overwhelmed single dad pig moves his piglets into a trailer park, he fears he's failed his family. But soon his kids create a wildly imaginative game, and Dad has a choice between dwell on the past or join them on their adventure.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://locksmithanimation.com/films/cardboard

COMO SI LA TIERRA SE LAS HUBIERA TRAGADO by Natalia León (France)

🎬 Synopsis: Olivia, a young woman living abroad, returns to her hometown in Mexico in the hope of reconnecting with her past. But the violence she witnessed as a child has not abated, and the journey rekindles memories that are impossible to reconcile with.

🌟 Qualified through: Short Film Jury Award at Sundance

🔗 https://xbofilms.com/en/as-if-the-earth-had-swallowed-them-up/

CRIMINAL by Robe Imbriano (US) - Full Film Available

🎬 Synopsis: An animated musical documentary short film about the presumption of innocence, cash bail, and overcrowding in Houston's Harris County Jail.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/criminalthefilm/

DAVID by Kai Xue & Hong Jiexi (China)

🎬 Synopsis: In a small northeastern town, a lost childhood photo. The sound of a train whistle brings memories of running in sunflower fields. I believe another self exists, like Dawei and me.

🌟 Qualified through: Youssef Chahine Award for Best Short Film at Cairo International Film Festival

DEMBAYA by Borja Espana Guillot (Ireland)

🎬 Synopsis: Forced to flee their African village due to war, a young girl and her family seek refuge in Ireland. As they rebuild their lives, they discover that home is not just a place, but a feeling they create together.

🌟 Qualified through: IFTA Award for Animated Short Film at Irish Film & Television Awards

DETLEV by Ferdinand Ehrhardt (Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: A constantly freezing man in his forties drives to a lonely petrol station every evening and orders a microwaved Toast Hawaii. Detlev indulges in this in a bizarre ritual, because it’s the only thing that warms him in his daily life. But when he is observed by a stranger one night, his world begins to crumble into shameful pieces.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Short Film, International Animation at Cinelebu

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/detlev.mov/

DULL SPOTS OF GREENISH COLOURS by Sasha Svirsky (Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: The war for our attention has suddenly become an actual war. Information technologies appear not just as mere means for somebody’s ends – they are now a force unto themselves. We have no control over them and are doomed to scroll through the newsfeed.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Prix at Animafest Zagreb and ASIFA Austria Award at Vienna Shorts and Best Animated Film 1 min. – 30 min. at German Short Film Award

EARTH COAL by Bastien Dupriez (France)

🎬 Synopsis: In the countryside of yesteryear, in the mines and factories, these men of the past seem to share the same sorrows. Something seems to resonate within us today, maybe it’s just an illusion, or maybe it’s just the humbleness of everyday life.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

THE EGGREGORES' THEORY by Andrea Gatopoulos (Italy)

🎬 Synopsis: He does not remember much from that time. Things have faded, like a painting after too much light. The only thing that bothers him is this music in his head. What did it mean? All he knows is that he cannot get it out of his head.

🌟 Qualified through: Short Film International Competition at International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao – ZINEBI

🔗 https://www.andreagatopoulos.it/the-eggregores-theory/

ÉIRU by Giovanna Ferrari (Ireland)

🎬 Synopsis: When the water mysteriously disappears from the well in a warrior clan's village, an intrepid child descends into the belly of the earth to retrieve it.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Riverrun International Film Festival & Grand Prize at Indy Shorts International Film Festival & Best Animation Short at Galway Film Fleadh

🔗 https://www.cartoonsaloon.ie/eiru/

THE EATING OF AN ORANGE by May Kindred-Boothby (UK/France)

🎬 Synopsis: Unconventional rituals and explorations of sexuality involve slugs and the symbolic consumption of an orange.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Jury Prize for Animated Short Film at Seattle Film Festival

🔗 http://www.maykindredboothby.co.uk/the-eating-of-an-orange.html

ESCORT by Rick Williamson (US)

🎬 Synopsis: The Escort is a story of a young boy traversing through all the moments of his romantic life while guided by a mysterious figure. Shown all the events that will transpire in his life, a young boy must find peace in knowing all the bliss and grief that comes with life. The Escort reconnoiters the relationship between human spirituality and the emotional spectrum of our lived experiences.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

FATHER FIGURE by Shek Ka Chun (Hong Kong)

🎬 Synopsis: Four rooms, four memories. The son steps into a tunnel of recollection during a visit to his long-absent father in prison. Pushing open door after door, he attempts to rediscover the visage of his father within these rooms of memory.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Taipei Golden Horse Awards

FOREVERGREEN by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears (US)

🎬 Synopsis: An orphaned bear cub finds a home with a fatherly evergreen tree, until his hunger for trash leads him to danger.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Jury Prize – Animated Short at AFI FEST

🔗 https://www.forevergreenfilm.com/

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/forevergreen_short_film/

FILANTE by Marion Jamault (France)

🎬 Synopsis: Paulette wishes upon a shooting star, hoping to find her mysteriously missing pet rat.

🌟 Qualified through: Best in Show at SPARK ANIMATION

🔗 https://marion-jamault.com/Filante

THE FLING by Jemma Cotter (Australia)

🎬 Synopsis: A nice romantic dinner in a restaurant goes awry when it's revealed one of them has a monstrous secret.

🌟 Qualified through: Yoram Gross Animation Award at Sydney Film Festival

FLOWER_GAN by Mati Granica (UK) - Full Film Available

🎬 Synopsis: flower_gan is a generative adversarial network that creates artificial images of flowers, questioning the environmental impact of generative AI.

🌟 Qualified through: Bronze Medal at Student Academy Awards

🔗 https://ualshowcase.arts.ac.uk/@matigranica

FRACTI by Lavinia Petrache (Romania/Switzerland)

🎬 Synopsis: Humans live their routines inside an ethereal village floating in the sky. What happens when one of them causes the world to end?

🌟 Qualified through: Best Romanian Film at Anim’est Bucharest International Animated Film Festival, Bucharest

🔗 https://www.obviouslylavinia.com/fracti

FREE THE CHICKES by Matúš Vizár (Slovakia/Czech Republic)

🎬 Synopsis: A rescue mission to free chickens from a factory farm goes radically wrong, and a group of four activists is forced to escape into the wilderness to experience a series of borderline situations and ethical dilemmas that lead to new insights, such as that nature is not a safe place for animals.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Sitges Film Festival

🔗 https://shortsfit.com/portfolio-item/free-the-chickens/

GIGI by Cynthia Calvi (France)

🎬 Synopsis: From the tormented little mermaid to the fulfilled woman she is today, Gigi tells us about her gender transition with humor and sensitivity.

🌟 Qualified through: Animated Short Award at the New Orleans Film Festival

🔗 https://xbofilms.com/en/gigi-2/

THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski (Canada)

🎬 Synopsis: A haunting fable about a girl overwhelmed by sorrow, the boy who loves her, and how greed leads good hearts to wicked deeds.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Canadian Short Film at Toronto International Film Festival

🔗 https://www.nfb.ca/distribution/film/the-girl-who-cried-pearls

GLASS HOUSE by Boris Labbé (France)

🎬 Synopsis: A sonic-video work, a disruptive immersive experience. It’s a glass Tower of Babel, a beautiful hypnotic kaleidoscope. It’s a feeling of both attraction and repulsion, inspired by sci-fi books.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.borislabbe.com/GLASS-HOUSE

GRIT by Abdulazeez Al-Refai (Kuwait)

🎬 Synopsis: A short film about a young Bedouin woman who helps an Arabian cross a desert canyon to reunite her with her family.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

HAIRY LEG by Andrea Dorfman (Canada)

🎬 Synopsis: To shave or not to shave? That is the question 13-year-old Andrea is faced with for the first time, and after a messy initial attempt with her friend Christina, the answer becomes abundantly clear.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://andreadorfman.com/hairy-legs-trailer

HELEN by Helio Mira (Spain)

🎬 Synopsis: In a 1920s New England dorm, Helen wakes up after a night of opium and a forbidden occult book. Her friend Elizabeth urges her to return the book, and as memories resurface, dark secrets are revealed.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://3doubles.com/helen-first-short-film-of-ages-of-madness-wins-and-is-selected-at-various-festivals/

HUMANTIS by Paris Baillie (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Humantises are masters of deception. But can they hide from change? When one Humantis unexpectedly goes through a physical transformation, it struggles to adapt and grow into its new self. 

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Jury Prize – Animated Short at AFI Fest

🔗 https://www.parisbaillie.com/humantis

HUNTING by Lea Favre (Switzerland)

🎬 Synopsis: Lea is fixated on finding the subject of her documentary. She goes on the hunt, armed with her camera, and comes across an older man who seems different. Lea thinks she has found her target, but suddenly the roles are reversed.

🌟 Qualified through: Silver Dragon for Best Short Animated Film at Krakow Film Festival and Winner International Competition at Fantoche Animation Film Festival.

🔗 https://www.sndfilms.com/hunting-qui-part-a-la-chasse/

HURIKÁN by Jan Saska (Czech Republic)

🎬 Synopsis: Hurikán rushes to save his favourite beer stand from closure by fetching a new keg to impress the bartender he crushes on. In a wild Prague district, he faces robbers, cops, and his own thirst.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animation Award at HollyShorts

🔗 https://www.maurfilm.com/portfolio-items/hurikan_en/

I DIED IN IRPIN by Anastasia Falileieva (Czech Republic/Slovakia/Ukraine)

🎬 Synopsis: At the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, Falileieva and her boyfriend leave Kyiv to visit his parents in Irpin. The city becomes a battleground, but the danger is not only outside the house.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Fest Anča International Animation Festival and BIAF Grand Prize at Bucheon International Animation Festival and Best Short Film at Manchester Animation Festival

🔗 https://www.maurfilm.com/portfolio-items/i-died-in-irpin_en/

INKWO FOR WHEN THE STARVING RETURN by Amanda Strong (Canada)

🎬 Synopsis: In a future haunted by monstrous beings, Dove—a gender-shifting warrior—must harness ancestral medicine (Inkwo) to defend their community and restore balance to a fractured world.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

IT SHOULDN’T RAIN TOMORROW by Maria Trigo Teixeira (Portugal/Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: Feeling that her mother may no longer be able to live on her own, a woman moves back to her childhood home. As she tries to adapt to the new situation, her mother continues to drift away.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.waitasecondfilms.com/it_shouldn_t_rain_tomorrow

JESUS 2 by Jesse Moynihan (US/Colombia)

🎬 Synopsis: In a dystopian future, immortality is forced upon mankind. Two pirate siblings embark on a quest to eliminate a malevolent figure and break the curse of eternal life.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

LA MANCHA NEGRA by Yareni Velázquez Mendoza (Mexico)

🎬 Synopsis: The black spot tells the story of Marlene's transformation, a woman who in her youth embraced darkness as a true expression of her being and soul. However, the adversities she faced in life allowed her to give that darkness a new meaning.

🌟 Qualified through: Ojo for Best Mexican Animated Short Film at Morelia International Film Festival

LARVAL by Alice Bloomfield (UK)

🎬 Synopsis: Living life in isolation, a girl dreams of luxury and beauty, fantasizing about possessing the looks of her celebrity idol and winning the heart of her unrequited love. However, she discovers that she should have been more careful what she wished for.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Raindance Film Festival

LES BÊTES by Michael Granberry (US) - Full Film Available

🎬 Synopsis: A mysterious rabbit with a set of magic keys summons a host of strange creatures to entertain a wicked king and his decadent court in this dark fantasy inspired by the works of Ladislas Starevich.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at AmDocs and Best Jury Award (Short Films Competition) at Annecy

LONG DISTANCE by Iulia Voitova (France)

🎬 Synopsis: An astronaut prepares for a flight into space, and a diver descends into the depths. The further apart they are, the closer they are.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Imaginaria Film Festival

LOOP LINE by Renuka Shahane (India)

🎬 Synopsis: In the heart of Mumbai, a middle-aged Maharashtrian housewife, endures her husband’s chauvinism and the tedium of her relentless chores. She finds solace in her rich fantasies. After a particularly demeaning remark from her husband, she fantasizes about serving them “brain pakoras” made from her brain.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Film in Animated Section at Bengaluru International Short Film Festival

LUZ DIABLE by Gervasio Canda & Paula Boffo & Patricio Plaza (Argentinia/Canada)

🎬 Synopsis: Martin, a flamboyant urban raver, is involved in a strange car accident on his way to a party in the middle of the Argentine Pampas.

🌟 Qualified through: Rigo Mora Award for Best International Animated Short Film at Guadalajara International Film Festival

🔗 https://www.ojoraro.com.ar/en/luz-diabla/

MARTYR’S GUIDEBOOK by Maks Rzontkowski (Poland)

🎬 Synopsis: Tony is the ultimate good guy, sometimes to a fault. From nabbing the smallest slice of cake in grade school to guiding lost strangers in the city, his kindness knows no bounds. He also lives with an angel.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

MORAL SUPPORT by Vuk Jevremović (Germany/Croatia)

🎬 Synopsis: The film is inspired by the music of the Slovenian band Laibach, and the song “Moral Support.” It’s about a clash between communists (striking miners) and Yugoslav nationalists in Trbovlje in which dozens of people died. At that time (1924), Slovenia was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The film evokes echoes of the first decades of the 20th century through artistic movements. It’s about the eternal fight between different political concepts and the tragedy of the human victims behind it.

🌟 Qualified through: Chris Frayne Award for Best Animated Film at Ann Arbor Film Festival

MOTHER’S CHILD by Naomi Noir (The Netherlands)

🎬 Synopsis: Wading through the bureaucratic mess that comes with caregiving, a loving mother feels isolated, unsupported and sleep deprived. She also struggles to fully understand her disabled, nonverbal son’s needs. After being dealt another blow by an obtuse administrator, her reality begins to blur.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Atlanta Film Festival and Grand Jury Prize (Best Animated Short Film) at Dallas International Film Festival

🔗 https://naominoir.com/mothers-child

MURMURATION by Janneke Swinkels & Tim Frijsinger (Belgium/Netherlands)

🎬 Synopsis: Piet, an elderly man in a nursing home, finds himself limited in his actions when he suddenly begins to transform into a bird. Although he is still accepted within the group, he feels that it's time to join a new flock.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animation Short Film at Melbourne International Film Festival

MY BROTHER, MY BROTHER by Abdelrahman Dnewar & Saad Dnewar (Egypt/France/Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: The complexities of a past shared by identical twins Omar and Wesam. A split narrative retells both sides of their memories — from the instant they were fused together in their mother’s womb to the moment when one of them tragically dies.

🌟 Qualified through: Golden Gate Award for Best Animated Short at San Francisco International Film Festival

🔗 https://www.miyu.fr/distribution/en/my-brother-my-brother-2/

MY GUT BROTHER by Becho Lo Bianco & Mariano Bergara (Argentinia/Mexico)

🎬 Synopsis: Jim, a lonely man who lives stuck in a rut, remembers when he was a child and his gut was alive. Despite his parents and doctor’s efforts, Jim decided to listen to his gut, which awakened enormous curiosity in him with a simple word: climb. After days of climbing everything, Jim discovered something that fascinated him… a mountain beyond the horizon.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

MY HOMELAND (MAWTINI) by Tabarak Abbas (Switzerland)

🎬 Synopsis: In early-’90s Baghdad, in a reality where humans have given way to cyborgs, a young couple and their newborn baby try to flee their country where war has just broken out. This animated film tells a true story and plunges viewers into a futuristic world.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Warsaw International Film Festival

A NIGHT AT THE REST AREA by Saki Muramoto (Japan)

🎬 Synopsis: At a midnight highway rest area, weary travelers each quietly relax their minds. A brief moment spent with complete strangers is lonely yet somehow comforting.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Jury Award for Animation Short at Slamdance Film Festival

🔗 https://www.sakimuramoto.com/animation/anightattherestarea

THE NIGHT BOOTS by Pierre-Luc Granjon (France)

🎬 Synopsis: While his parents are welcoming friends, a child leaves home in the middle of the night and enters the undergrowth, wearing rubber boots. There, a strange beast, curious and solitary, will lead him into the heart of the forest.

🌟 Qualified through: Cristal for a Short Film at Annecy International Animation Film Festival

NO VACANCY by Miguel Rodrick (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Inside a crumbling motel that mirrors his unraveling mind, a man drifts in search of release from a past that lingers in every room.

🌟 Qualified through: Best U.S. Latino Animated Short Film at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival

🔗 https://miguelrodrick.com/no-vacancy-trailer

ON WEARY WINGS GO BY by Anu-Laura Tuttelberg (Estonia/Lithuania)

🎬 Synopsis: A wintry poem about the Nordic nature. The sun moves low and days get shorter. Birds fly South, porcelain animals and insects hide from the freezing wind and snow. Only a small porcelain girl wanders the abandoned landscape with no way out.

🌟 Qualified through: Golden Dove – International Competition Short Animated Film at DOK Leipzig

🔗 https://www.lightsonfilm.com/onwearywingsgoby.html

ORDINARY LIFE (FUTSU NO SEIKATSU) by Yoriko Mizushiri (France/Japan)

🎬 Synopsis: Delicate moments of daily life unfold in soft hues. Subtle movements, gentle touches, and fleeting breaths intertwine, creating a sensual tapestry of ordinary experiences that float and dissolve in a pastel-colored world.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Nashville Film Festival

🔗 https://www.miyu.fr/production/en/an-ordinary-life-2/

OVARY-ACTING by Ida Melum (Norway/Sweden/UK)

🎬 Synopsis: While stuck at her sister’s baby shower a thirty-something woman is forced to decide whether she wants to have kids or not after unexpectedly giving birth to her reproductive organs.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.idamelum.com/ovary-acting-2025

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/ovaryactingfilm/

OVERTURE by Jakub Hronský (Czech Republic)

🎬 Synopsis: The film follows a humanoid insect whose presence and actions continuously alter and transform the surrounding world of a Bratislava housing estate. But what can emerge from its ‘devouring’ and transforming of its environment? What changes will it bring?

🌟 Qualified through: Best Slovak Animated Short at Fest Anča International Animation Festival

PARADISE MAN II by Jordan Michael Blake (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Paradise Man searches for meaning in an unknown universe.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.jordanmichaelblake.com/

PATTERNS by Alex Glawion (Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: Struck by a barrage of intrusive encounters on his weekly commute, a perceptive traveler struggles to uphold the positive mindset that wards against the ever-lurking grayness.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Cleveland International Film Festival

🔗 https://patterns-film.com/

PIETRA by Cynthia Levitan (Portugal)

🎬 Synopsis: In daydreaming about unlikely relationships, the flower – as delicate as it is revolutionary – represents an act of love amidst the suffocation and embrace of a classic Portuguese neighborhood.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://selectedfilms.com/pietra/

PLAYING GOD by Matteo Burani (Italy/France)

🎬 Synopsis: Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Tribeca Film Festival and Grand Jury Awardat Animayo Gran Canaria

PÓG MO PIGEON by Cliodhna Lyons (Ireland)

🎬 Synopsis: Mikey's new friend, Pidgey, follows him home for family prayer time. Unfortunately, the sanctity of Mammy's sitting room is no place for a chaotic pigeon. What happens next will change things for Mikey forever.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Foyle Film Festival

🔗 https://lighthousestudios.ie/work/pog-mo-pigeon/

POW by Joey Clift (US)

🎬 Synopsis: A Native American kid scrambles to charge his dying video game console at a bustling intertribal powwow.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

PSYCHONAUTS by Niko Radas (Croatia)

🎬 Synopsis: Leaving their human hosts, mental disorders take on anthropomorphic forms and find new refuges.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Short Animation at Guanajuato International Film Festival

PUPPET AND THE WHALE by Roberto Catani (France/Italy)

🎬 Synopsis: The story of a puppet, from his “birth” to the uncertain decision to follow the example of his father/creator, through discovering a humanity that frightens him, and of which he will have to become a part.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Prize for Best Short Animated Film at Ottawa International Animation Festival

🔗 https://www.miyu.fr/distribution/en/il-burattino-e-la-balena-2/

THE QUINTA’S GHOST by James A. Castillo (Spain)

🎬 Synopsis: After the death of his wife, Spanish artist Francisco Goya withdraws from public life to a crumbling house on the outskirts of Madrid and is tormented by the ghosts of his past.

🌟 Qualified through: Screening

🔗 https://www.thequintasghost.com/

RADIX by Anne Breymann (Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: Two creatures meet on a tree. Their encounter goes deep down to the roots and beyond.

🌟 Qualified through: Animation Shorts Jury Award at New Hampshire Film Festival

🔗 https://www.annebreymann.de/work/radix

RETIREMENT PLAN by John Kelly (Ireland) - Full Film Available

🎬 Synopsis: In the throes of his overstimulated, energy poor midlife, Ray fantasises about everything he'd love to do in retirement, once he finally has the "time.”

🌟 Qualified through: Animated Shorts Competition Jury Award at SXSW and Best Irish Professional Short at Animation Dingle and Best Animated Short at Bali International Film Festival and Best of the Festival Award at Palm Springs International ShortFest

🔗 https://www.retirementplanfilm.com/

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/retirementplan_film/

SAUDADE, PERHAPS by José-Manuel Barata Xavier (Portugal)

🎬 Synopsis: A man, inside an old bathtub, thinks, wonders and travels through the memories of his childhood.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

SCARS WE LOVE by Raphael Jouzeau (France)

🎬 Synopsis: Gaspard is still very much in love with Leïla. They meet in a crowded bar a month after she left him. The conversation turns awry and, as he feels tears welling up, Gaspard seeks refuge under the tablecloth, away from prying eyes and closer to his memories.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Short Film at Kaboom Animation Festival

SHADOWS by Rand Beiruty (Jordan/France)

🎬 Synopsis: At an over crowded airport, Ahlam, a 14-year old runaway mother, fights the lurking shadows that attempt to steal the only dream that will set her free.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Prize (World Animation Competition) at Leeds International Film Festival and Grand Prize at Regard – Saguenay International Short Film Festival

🔗 https://randbeiruty.com/portfolio/shadows/

SHIMMER by Andrés Palma (Mexico)

🎬 Synopsis: Cast away on a desolate beach, Ricardo toils tirelessly on a massive lighthouse that he believes holds the key to his rescue, neglecting his daughter whose own plans might derail her father's dreams.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.shimmershort.com/

THE SHYNESS OF TREES by Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré, Lina Han, Simin He, Jiaxin Huang, Maud Le Bras & Bingqing Shu (France)

🎬 Synopsis: When Helene visits her aging mother in the countryside, she discovers that the older woman seems to have formed a strange bond with plants, insects and the old oak tree at the end of her garden.

🌟 Qualified through: Bronze Medal at Student Academy Awards

🔗 https://www.gobelins-school.com/news/shyness-trees-graduation-short-film-2024

SISOWATH QUAY by Stéphanie Lansaque & François Leroy (France)

🎬 Synopsis: Phnom Penh. Nakry and Sothear meet on Sisowath Quay for their first date. However, at nightfall, the romance turns into a nightmare when the young girl transforms into a strange creature.

🌟 Qualified through: Børge Ring Award (Animation Competition) at Odense International Film Festival

SKROLL by Marten Visser (The Netherlands)

🎬 Synopsis: Humans and some kind of gnomes have posted videos on social media platforms in their animated dimension. This film is a short compilation of these clips. An animated random flow of social media content that really “will surprise you” and is worth “watching till the end.” But No. 3 will not shock you.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Dutch Short Film at Kaboom Animation Festival

🔗 http://www.marten-visser.nl/shortfilmskroll.html

SNOW BEAR by Aaron Blaise (US)

🎬 Synopsis: When a lonely polar bear can’t find a friend… he makes one.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short at Santa Fe International Film Festival

ℹ️ Aaron Blaise is a previous Oscar nominee for co-directing Disney’s BROTHER BEAR.

🔗 https://snowbearshort.com/

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/aaronblaiseart/

SOLSTICE by Luke Angus (Scotland)

🎬 Synopsis: A lonely Inuit must endure the endless summer daylight to be reunited with his lost love.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Short Animation at Short Shorts Film Festival

A SPARROW’S SONG by Tobias Eckerlin (Germany)

🎬 Synopsis: Inspired by a true story, a widowed air raid warden in the midst of World War II struggles to overcome grief and rediscover joy in her life — until she finds a dying sparrow she hopes to save.

🌟 Qualified through: Gold Medal at Student Academy Awards

🔗 https://www.magnetfilm.de/short-film/films/a-sparrows-song/

SPARROWS by Rémi Durin (Belgium/France)

🎬 Synopsis: In a Buddhist temple, young monks begin their meditation when the master arrives. One of the children is distracted by a sparrow and follows the bird outside the monastery. Here begins a walk off the beaten paths that goes through the tour of his lifetime.

🌟 Qualified through: Jury Award (Best Animated Short) at New York International Children’s Film Festival

SPEED READER by Jennifer Levonian (Spain)

🎬 Synopsis: Speed Reader follows a set of identical twins as their lives weave in and out of one another, creating a poignant portrayal of what it is to see and be seen or not seen by loved ones through the vicissitudes of life.

🌟 Qualified through: 1st Prize (Animated Short) at Athens International Film + Video Festival

THE SONG OF DRIFTERS by Xindi Zhang (US)

🎬 Synopsis: To those who've drifted from home in search of something beyond: this is their song-of loss and memory, of rediscovery and the quiet hope that follows.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.xindizhangart.com/the-song-of-drifters

THE STORY OF SERGIO by Rosalba Vitellaro (Italy)

🎬 Synopsis: In 1979 Hamburg, the journalist Günther discovers the tragic story of Sergio and 19 other Jewish children who, in 1944, were transferred from the Auschwitz concentration camp to Neuengamme, where they were used as test subject for experiments on typhus.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

SURF SOUP® BUTTONS by Donna Kay Lau (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Surf Soup® Buttons is a hand-drawn animated short inspired by Donna Kay Lau's Chinese American heritage. A magical laundry turns garments into gateways of imagination, celebrating family, culture, and resilience.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://surfsoup.tv/surf-soup-buttons

T-ZERO by Vicente Nirō (Portugal/Hungary)

🎬 Synopsis: In a city that was once typically Portuguese, a real estate agent tries to persuade customers to rent tiny apartments, even if it means evicting the people who live there.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://aimcreativestudios.com/sound-music/t-zero/

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: CHROME ALONE 2 — LOST IN NEW JERSEY by Kent Seki (US)

🎬 Synopsis: When a mysterious toy company exploits the Turtles’ newfound fame, the brothers follow the clues to New Jersey where they stumble upon a shocking discovery.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

ℹ️ Produced by Nickelodeon Movies and distributed by Paramount Pictures

TIDDLER by Alex Bain & Andy Martin (UK)

🎬 Synopsis: A small fish with a big imagination gets lost in the deep wide ocean, until he is saved by his own storytelling.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

THE THREE SISTERS by Kognov Timur (Cyprus)

🎬 Synopsis: Three sisters live a lonely life on an isolated island, each in their own small house. One day, circumstances develop in such a way that they are forced to rent out one of the houses.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Animated Short Film at Santa Barbara International Film Festival

TRANSFERABLE by Jacob Gardner & David Hubert (Canada)

🎬 Synopsis: In a world ravaged by an incurable illness, a devoted husband is forced to make an impossible choice as his wife's life hangs in the balance.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://transferable.agora.studio/

TRASH by ESMA students Gregory Bouzid, Maxime Crançon, Robin Delaporte, Matteo Durand, Romain Fleischer, Alexis Le Ral, Margaux Lutz & Fanny Vecchie (France)

🎬 Synopsis: A rat and a pigeon fight over a piece of pizza, fending, beck and claws, for their survival.

🌟 Qualified through: Best in Show at Siggraph and Best Short Animated Film at Cinequest Film Festival

🔗 https://www.trash-esmamovie.com/

TWO BLACK BOYS IN PARADISE by Baz Sells (UK)

🎬 Synopsis: Two young Black men journey through a dreamlike world in search of acceptance — from each other and from themselves in this meditation on queer love, cultural stigma and freedom of self expression.

🌟 Qualified through: Best Short Animation at Woodstock Film Festival

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/one_6th

TWO SHIPS by McKinley Benson (US/Portugal)

🎬 Synopsis: While working opposite schedules, a couple attempts to maintain their connection through fleeting encounters.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://mckinleybenson.com/two-ships-1

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/twoshipsmovie/

VERSA by Malcon Pierce (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Follows a young couple who experience a range of emotions, from grief and loss to ultimate love, joy and acceptance, as they embark on an ethereal "cosmic dance of life.”

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

ℹ️ Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

A VERY TWISTED TALE by Catherine Buffat & Jean-Luc Gréco (France)

🎬 Synopsis: Every evening, Brindone, a teenager, goes to bed before the end of the TV programs. Every evening, instead of going to bed discreetly, his big brother Musclor turns on the light in their shared bedroom to annoy him. Every evening the same routine. Brindone can’t take it anymore.

🌟 Qualified through: Animest Trophy at Animest International Animation Film Festival

VOYAGE OF THE RED RABBIT by Sam Gualtieri (US)

🎬 Synopsis: An anthropomorphic Rabbit-Spaceman searches for his home in the outer bounds of the universe. Meanwhile, an old man on earth eats apple pie and considers what happens in the afterlife.

🌟 Qualified through: Grand Jury Award (Best Animated Short) at Florida Film Festival

🔗 https://room300.com/redrabbit-proj/

WALK IN THE LIGHT by Princella Smith (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Walk In The Light tells the story of the Oklahoma City Bombing from survivor and hero Raymond Washburn to his eight year-old granddaughter, Aiyana detailing how he was able to help others to safety, as a blind man.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://walkinthelightmovie.com/home/

A WALK INTO THE AFTERLIFE by Jiyun Jeong (Luxembourg)

🎬 Synopsis: A small cat journeys into the garden of the afterlife in search of a magical flower.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

WEDNESDAYS WITH GRAMPS by Chris and Justin Copeland (US)

🎬 Synopsis: A teenager realises he has much more in common with his Gramps than he initially thought.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

ℹ️ Produced by DreamWorks Animation.

WHALE 52 by Daniel Neiden (US)

🎬 Synopsis: Draws on the legend of the "loneliest whale" as a boy with selective mutism and an aging widower, bound by loss and sorrow, discover a magical pen and journal that let them hear each other's unspoken cries and find healing.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.whale52themovie.com/

THE WIDE EYED GIRL AND THE LONG LEGGED BOY by Maria Hespanhol (Portugal)

🎬 Synopsis: This is a love story full of encounters and mismatches, in which resides a constant presence of an incessant search for the relationships of happiness and self-esteem between the two characters.

🌟 Qualified through: Screenings

🔗 https://www.agenciafreak.com/en/archivo/the-wide-eyed-girl-and-the-long-legged-boy/

WINTER IN MARCH by Natalia Mirzoyan (Estonia,/Armenia/France)

🎬 Synopsis: Helpless in the face of a repressive state, a young couple leaves their home — an escape that turns into a surreal nightmare.

🌟 Qualified through: Heart of Sarajevo for the Best Short Film at Sarajevo Film Festival

THE WOLF by Theodore Ushev (Canada)

🎬 Synopsis: An old man is chasing a wolf pack. A little wolf survives, but eventually will return. Who will win — the wolf or the man?

🌟 Qualified through: Jury Grand Prize Animation at Edmonton International Film Festival

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Related Pages:

• Complete List of Oscar-Qualified Live Action Short Films 2026
• How to Qualify for the Oscars (Live Action Short Films)
• Shortlist for Animated Short Films 2026
• Shortlist for Live Action Short Films 2026