Best Feature Film. Actor in a Lead Role. Cinematography. Costumes. Year after year, millions worldwide hold their breath, waiting to hear who will be crowned in these categories at the Oscars. This year’s ceremony will take the world by storm on March 15.
2026 sees viewers abuzz about Timothée Chalamet’s performance in Marty Supreme, eager to see Sinners finally receive its flowers, and closely following Hamnet’s rise to fame.
Some of the nominees, however, are often overlooked.
The Animated Short Films category frequently remains in the shadows, despite being most accessible for viewers. Many of the films are available directly on Youtube, without requiring a streaming subscription or a trip to the theater.
The films are a surprisingly diverse medium, as shown especially by this year’s nominees, each presenting a love letter to the craft in their own unique ways.
Butterfly, by Florence Miailhe and Ron Dyens
The most unique artistic style is embodied by Miailhe in Butterfly, created using oil painting on glass. The art resembles impressionist paintings, with bold brushstrokes and vibrant Gauguin-esque colors. The film serves as an ode to Alfred Nakache, an early 20th-century Jewish swimmer. Miailhe had the chance to know Nakache in real life, which adds another layer to how personal the short film is. Butterfly explores the swimmer’s life through tasteful narration, a series of flashbacks, and key moments in his biography. The story of the film is increasingly important in the current political climate, and is luckily readily accessible to viewers online.
Forevergreen, by Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears
A naturalist’s dream, Forevergreen has no talking, similar to last year’s Animated Feature Film winner Flow. Like in Flow, there are no humans explicitly shown within the film. However, this is where the similarities end, as the plot and animation style differ drastically: this nominee uses handmade crafts, like woodworking with digital animation to create its distinctive visual style. Throughout the 13-minute film, viewers experience a creative take on parenthood, loss and growth – a theme often explored in short films (for example, Bao and One Small Step, both from the 91st Academy Awards). Forevergreen makes a clear message for children, unlike some of the other nominees.
The Girl Who Cried Pearls, by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
This short film stands out immediately because of its duration – at 17:36, it is the longest of the selection. Many viewers have compared it to Tim Burton (most likely also meaning Laika, the studio that brought us Coraline and Corpse Bride); the style is also reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, with its distorted stop-motion animation, and a plot that subverts expectations. It is the tenth film directed in partnership by Canadian duo Lavis and Szczerbowski, who suffered numerous setbacks during the creative process, many of which were due to limitations imposed by COVID. These setbacks, however, only ended up adding to The Girl’s charm, as the film’s narration leads the viewers to a subtle critique on capitalism and life in the early twentieth century.
Retirement Plan, by John Kelly and Andrew Freedman
Visually, Retirement Plan is seemingly the most simple out of the selection. It was a long-term passion project created by a small team, who documented the process on their website – everything from planning the shots, to applying for film festivals on a budget. The behind-the-scenes footage gives the viewers insight into the collaboration and ingenuity required when working around limitations that come with self-funding. The story itself is incredibly realistic and grounded; even as a teen, it can make you reflect upon your life – “What have I done up to this point? What would I like to do in the future? How do I not miss out on the things that I have always wanted to do?”
The Three Sisters, by Konstantin Bronzit
Out of all five nominees, The Three Sisters was the hardest to find online. This film is unmistakably Slavic from the first second of the trailer, probably thanks to the blunt art style, absurd storyline and somewhat crude humor. Its tone echoes classic Soviet animated works such as Film Film Film or Pif-paf, oy-oy-oy! Bronzit both directs and voices the film – that is, whatever little speech there is, mostly consisting of one-word phrases or exclamations. The Three Sisters spans several months in the life of sisters on a tiny island and their unlucky encounters.
Animation techniques from oil painting to 3D, plots from ones with simple messaging to those that may require reflection; the five Animated Short Film nominees for the 98th Academy Awards may offer something of interest to all viewers. As an extra bonus, all of the films last under a single class period!
The next time that you have a few free minutes, why not spend them watching one of these underappreciated Oscar nominees? See if your views regarding the best film align with Academy members. If not, support your pick in any way that you can, to show its creators your admiration and motivate them to continue their craft (or maybe, you too will feel inspired to start a creative project of your own, as taught by Retirement Plan).
