Our Shortened Longlist of Oscars Longlist-Surpassing Shortlisted Shorts 2025 Edition
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
So continues my insane, exhausting tradition of playing catch-up with all of the short films — including all of the animated films, the documentary short subjects, and the live action shorts — that are selected by the Academy Awards voters before these groups are whittled down to a mere five nominees per category. Before we get to that point, we have fifteen short films per category, which brings us to forty five short films to plow through and rank. In case it isn’t obvious by when I am posting this article (literally hours before the 97th Academy Awards nominees are announced), it has been a bit of a struggle getting a hold of every short film, and some I was honestly very lucky to have caught early (I barely made the deadline even with the nominations announcement having been postponed twice due to the South Californian wildfires). Nevertheless, for the third year in a row, here are all forty five selected short films having been watched and reviewed with one or two sentences apiece.
For those who are new to this whole spiel, the Academy’s rules as to what constitutes as a short film are any film that is less than forty minutes in length (you’ll find the occasional forty-minute behemoth — by short film standards — with credits included, which I feel like the Academy lets slide just to help out). Short films are great indicators of what can be achieved in as little time, budget, and resources possible. These three categories remain highly overlooked by many film watchers and Oscars obsessives, but I’m happy that these short films are getting more noticed as time goes by — especially since the Oscars Death Race (a tradition of watching every nominee before the Oscars ceremony takes place) and its community are alive and well. Seeing as I’ve been busting out many reviews lately and preparing for the upcoming yearly Oscars-based content, I’ll keep each review as brief as possible.
Let’s check out all forty five shortlisted short film of this year’s Academy Awards!
For Your Consideration: Best Animated Short Film
The animated short films feel mainly standard this year. The top seven picks here are my must-watch selections, particularly the magnificent short film that made my top spot. None of these films are outright terrible either, but I don’t know if I’d call every single shortlisted animated short this year a winner. Which animated shorts were the most interesting artistically, creatively, and narratively? Which brought us to new worlds and ideas with ease and little time to work with? Let’s proceed.
15. Bottle George
An honest attempt at replicating what addiction and abuse can look like in a domestic setting, but it doesn’t know how to clearly portray its message without getting caught up in its design and style.
14. Yuck!
One of the many looks at a young discovery of love via the gaze of bullying and uncertainty; while the animation is adorable and innocent and the message is clear, we’ve seen this done before and better.
13. Beautiful Men
12. Magic Candies
11. Maybe Elephants
An autobiographical diary entry of the oddities and sympathies of life: a family portrait that leaps from Norway to Narobi that feels applicable to all viewers.
10. Wander to Wonder
A near-surreal, eerie look at survival and existential pondering, Wander to Wonder accomplishes enough in its brief runtime to matter, but I cannot help but feel like it isn’t as unhinged or free as it’d like to be.
9. Au Revoir Mon Monde
Gorgeous, comedic, heartbreaking, but a bit too short. This five minute takeaway of what the end/start of the world may look like deserves the full treatment.
8. A Crab in the Pool
An absurd yet powerful look at hitting puberty and the awkward stages of adolescent growth and self-empowerment. The scraggly illustrations add to the innocence and candidness of these inner thoughts.
7. A Bear Named Wojtek
Inspired by a true story, this gorgeous yet occasionally sappy short (half an hour in length) brings a complex story about compassion, war, and connection (even between humans and the titular bear) to life via pencil coloured brilliance.
6. Percebes
A wonderfully animated, documentative account of events that turns reality into a fever dream. A unique take on a subject (the titular barnacle), Percebes puts collective wonder into refreshing perspective.
5. Origami
Stunning animation and a clear depiction of making something out of nothing, but far too short (less than two and a half minutes minus the credits); could have watched an hour of this.
3. The 21
A documentary of the twenty one Coptic Christians who were beheaded by ISIS; this animated short honours these martyrs with astonasthing art, powerful symbolism, and upfront, brutal truth amidst impenetrable faith.
2. The Wild Tempered Clavier
Astonishing animation technique (stop motion imitation of a media player/editing table and stained watercolour images on “film”) and even a little story within a story to boot; The Wild Tempered Clavier is hypnotic.
1. In the Shadow of The Cyprus
A strong and beautiful look at perseverance, strength, and trauma with a mature and serious angle. Exquisitely animated, profoundly told, and haunting even well after you’re done watching it. This is a winner of an animated short film.
For Your Consideration: Best Documentary Short Subject
I usually hate at least a couple of the shortlisted documentary short films when I get to them, but I’d argue that the weakest films here this year are simply “okay”. Besides that, I usually don’t adore any of these films either and will find them “fairly effective” at best, but goodness, is the film that came in first place a shocking, powerful documentary that absolutely must be seen (I’d say my top six are all strong). All things considered, this is likely the strongest batch of fifteen documentary shorts I’ve had the fortune of seeing since starting this yearly tradition. As I always preface with this subject, I’m grading these films not based on what they are saying (usually because the subject matters are sensitive or highly political) but more on their effectiveness and how well they are made. Which short films taught us the most and connected with us the best?
15. The Quilters
A look at the inmates of a maximum security prison who put themselves into the quilts that they stitch together to protect foster children. I understand the importance and significance of the symbol of troubled older generations changing hearts and providing for the future wave of civilization, but this film was a bit overlong and doesn’t say much that is new for a good portion of its duration.
14. Until He’s Back
As a topic (a father traveling across countries to retrieve the remains of his deceased son at the hands of tragedy), Until He’s Back is moving. As a documentary film, the short does meander a bit and can lose sight of the weight of what is happening because of its extended length (but who would feel right cutting this heartbreaking footage, especially a parent?).
13. The Only Girl in the Orchestra
A great look at the iconic bassist Orin O’Brien and her influence in the New York Philharmonic. At thirty five minutes, it feels too long and padded out when this could have been a snappier, more direct look at honouring an important figure.
12. Instruments of a Beating Heart
Cute and a lovely look at a devoted teacher in Japan who guides first graders to play Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, including one student who struggles to keep up. Not much more than a snapshot of dedicated education and warm, sympathetic guidance, but that may be all that you want to see.
11. Eternal Father
A man who becomes a father later in life wants to become cryogenically frozen so he can see his kids when they are older. Both a familial diary and an expression of mortality and life, this documentary doesn’t go quite as far as it should despite still being an interesting subject.
10. Planetwalker
A documentation of a silent protest — via a walk across the United States without speaking — against the lack of prevention and resolution regarding major oil spills. Part animated and a leap between old footage of the pilgrimage and contemporary reminiscing. A little bloated but still enlightening.
9. A Swim Lesson
As someone who was scared of swimming as a child while taking swimming lessons, this documentary hits close to home. A look at a patient swimming instructor and his approaches to consolling frightened children learning the essential skill of swimming; it’s light, heart-warming, and lovley.
8. Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr
A behind-the-scenes look at a transgender activist/state representative (of Montana) and her fight for proper trans medical care; the mini triumphs for a community within a much larger battle. A little too short at fifteen minutes but a needed celebration amidst hardship.
7. I Am Ready, Warden
As a criminal who has spent most of his life on death row and in solitary confinement prepares for his eventual execution, he seeks forgiveness from the son of the man he murdered while wanting to comfort his family. A heartbreaking look at regret and reform that feels complete.
6. Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World
Using artistry and a voiceover to bring a nonverbal girl with autism’s perspective to the big screen, this documentary short showcases what the power of the cinematic medium can bring to perspectives that are often overlooked.
5. Keeper
As the central figure — a single father who tends to bees as a hobby despite his allergy to the insects — learns he has been diagnosed with a vicious form of cancer, Keeper becomes a statement on the preciousness of live, the importnace of nurturing and care, and a quest to stay and keep others alive, either as a lone individual or an entire species.
4. Chasing Roo
A gorgeously shot look at the harvesting of kangaroos and a family that lives in the outback who are devoted to helping repopulate the adored, Australian marsupial. Even at thirty five minutes, I could have done with an hour of this lush-yet-powerful documentary.
3. Once Upon a Time in Ukraine
A heartbreaking look at the current state of the Ukraine three years into the Russian bombing and massacres of a beloved motherland. We follow the perspectives of optimistic children amidst rubble: those who inherit the ruins and are the ones to rebuild a suffering nation. Bleak yet tender.
2. Death by Numbers
A highly effective look at a student who survived a high school shooting and her days leading up to her finally confronting the person who shot her. A snapshot of the bigger picture of the rampant gun violence in the United States, its huge impact and the trauma that ensues.
1. Incident
A powerful assembly of surveillance recordings from police cameras shows the real side of a murder at the hands of authoritative figures who are meant to serve and protect us; instead, they use their powers to shape narratives.
For Your Consideration: Best Live Action Short Film
Oddly enough, I’d consider the live action batch of nominees to be the weakest of the three groups. While there are some great contenders here (the top six are the ones I’d like to direct you to), there are also enough weaker entries here that weigh the overall average down. Which films tell a fully-fledged story in a short amount of time and allow you to bond with its characters in that same time frame? Let’s dig in.
15. Edge of Space
A well-intentioned story of loss and honour via the risks of the space race, this short is one that has the budget to look nice but it is far too kitschy and reliant on tired and obvious cues to feel authentic.
14. Crust
A coming-of-age film about a young boy’s quest to be a man via getting a scar. Interestingly shot but a bit contrived by on-the-nose choices of comedy (almost in a Taika Waititi sort of way), Crust aims to be unorthodox but it feels typical in 2025.
13. The Compatriot
Well-shot and boasts an intriguing premise (pitting a lonely civilian with an SS officer trying to escape a snowstorm), The Compatriot is held back by constrained runtime, limited location, and the imability to allow its ambitious roots to grow.
12. Clodagh
A reminder to not judge based on one’s appearances, Clodagh is all about untapped potential of those waiting to be found. I wish the film was a little more bold and daring given its concept despite it being lovely, because it does resort to being a crowd-pleasing, typical look at discovery rather than feeling like the film itself has been discovered (not foisted upon you yet again).
11. Room Taken
One of the age-old kinds of shorts is the one that pits two unlikely souls together. A homeless man is taken in by an older woman who has gone blind. Together, they form a friendship that feels a little too sugary and under developed for the sake of being sweet, but Room Taken still has its heart in the right place.
10. An Orange from Jaffa
While an engaging look at a Palestinian man at the Israeli border pretending to be a different nationality to get by, this film also feels like there is a bit more character studying and setting to explore. I wish there was a bit more despite how intense the short does manage to get.
9. Dovecote
A look at a woman’s release from a prison featuring a familiar face (likely future Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña), this visually astonishing, often dialogue-free look is heavy on its aesthetic brilliance but a little slim on what it wants to say about freedom, relief, and changes of heart.
8. Paris 70
A simple yet telling look at how Alzheimer’s disease rob people of their identity and independence, but also a loving tribute to the caregivers who give up all of themselves to help the ill regain a bit of hope and solace.
7. A Lien
A raw look at how the immigration process in the United States can be detrimental or fatal at the hands of ICE, A Lien is a concise story about a family that is threatened to be ripped apart for unjust reasons. A bit held back by typical short film related concerns (low budget, not enough time to work with) but it possesses enough oomph.
6. The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
A look at the refusal to conform to the slaughtering and torturing of others, this sort based on real tragedies is a flashback to yesteryear (1993 Bosnia and Herzegovina) while reminding us of the support and courage needed in the present.
5. The Last Ranger
A devastating allegory of what poaching does to endangered wildlife, this South African drama cleverly places humans in the positions of sought-after animals and leaves some of its best turns and statements for its climax.
4. I’m Not a Robot
Outside of a personal disagreement (I find the usage of Radiohead’s thirty-fifth best song, “Creep”, highly tiresome and overused in this day and age), I’m Not a Robot is a clever look at a new type of turing test: personal doubt in the modern age (where we will question if we are robots). Existential and full of twists until the ambiguous end.
3. The Masterpiece
A short fable on biting off more than you can chew. A clever look at karmic repercussions and doubt stemming from a tale of a wealthy family and the scrappers they come in contact with, concluding with a twisting, ambiguous standoff that will leave you thinking.
2. The Ice Cream Man
The best of the World War II based short films here, The Ice Cream Man makes the most of its true story (the titular ice cream parlour worker who has to face the Butcher of Lyon) and feels like exactly what it sets out to be: a truncated-yet-effective feature film. Now this is time and resources spent really well.
1. Anuja
A short film about poverty in Dehli, Anuja finds two struggling yet supportive sisters — working in a garment factory — with an opportunity for only one of the sisters to have a better life. A highly touching, beautiful, moving look at unconditional love within the brutal reality that millions of people face every day.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.