The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially announced the shortlists for the 98th Oscars. These shortlists cover 12 award categories and include films that are still in the running for an Oscar nomination.
Final nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026, while the Oscars ceremony will hold on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Below is the complete list of all shortlisted films, grouped by category.
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Fifteen animated short films made the shortlist from over 100 entries. These films come from different countries and styles, showing how creative and diverse animation can be.
1. Autokar
2. Butterfly
3. Cardboard
4. Éiru
5. Forevergreen
6. The Girl Who Cried Pearls
7. Hurikán
8. I Died in Irpin
9. The Night Boots
10. Playing God
11. The Quinta's Ghost
12. Retirement Plan
13. The Shyness of Trees
14. Snow Bear
15. The Three Sisters
CASTING
Casting is still a fairly new Oscars category. Ten films were shortlisted, focusing on how well actors were chosen and brought together.
Strong contenders include Frankenstein, Hamnet, Sinners, and Wicked: For Good. Casting directors will present clips and interviews before final voting begins.
1. Frankenstein
2. Hamnet
3. Marty Supreme
5. The Secret Agent
6. Sentimental Value
7. Sinners
8. Sirât
9. Weapons
10. Wicked: For Good
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sixteen films were shortlisted for cinematography. This category celebrates how a film looks on screen, including lighting, camera movement, and visual style.
Films like F1, Nouvelle Vague, Train Dreams, and Sound of Falling stood out for their strong visual work.
1. Ballad of a Small Player
2. Discover Bugonia
3. Die My Love
4. F1
5. Frankenstein
6. Hamnet
7. Marty Supreme
8. Nouvelle Vague
10. Sentimental Value
11. Sinners
12. Sirât
13. Song Sung Blue
14. Sound of Falling
15. Train Dreams
16. Wicked: For Good
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Fifteen documentary feature films remain in the race from over 200 eligible titles. These films cover real-life stories from different parts of the world.
Some titles drawing attention include Mr. Nobody against Putin, 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Seeds, and Yanuni.
1. The Alabama Solution
2. Apocalypse in the Tropics
3. Coexistence, My Ass!
4. Come See Me in the Good Light
5. Cover-Up
6. Cutting through Rocks
7. Folktales
8. Holding Liat
9. Mr. Nobody against Putin
10. Mstress Dispeller
11. My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow
12. The Perfect Neighbor
13. Seeds
14. 2000 Meters to Andriivka
15. Yanuni
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
Another fifteen films were shortlisted here. These shorter documentaries focus on powerful stories told in a limited runtime.
Films like Armed Only with a Camera, Classroom 4, and We Were the Scenery made the list.
1. All the Empty Rooms
2. All the Walls Came Down
3. Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
4. Bad Hostage
5. Cashing Out
6. Chasing Time
7. Children No More: “Were and Are Gone”
8. Classroom 4
9. The Devil Is Busy
10. Heartbeat
11. Last Days on Lake Trinity
12. On Healing Land, Birds Perch
13. Perfectly a Strangeness
14. Rovina’s Choice
15. We Were the Scenery
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
This category celebrates films made outside the United States. Fifteen films from 15 different countries advanced to the next round.
Countries represented include Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Japan, Palestine, South Korea, Taiwan, and Tunisia. Notable entries include Homebound from India, Sentimental Value from Norway, and Sirât from Spain.
1. Argentina – Belén
2. Brazil – The Secret Agent
3. France – It Was Just an Accident
4. Germany – Sound of Falling
5. India – Homebound
6. Iraq – The President’s Cake
7. Japan – Kokuho
8. Jordan – All That’s Left of You
9. Norway – Sentimental Value
10. Palestine – Palestine 36
11. South Korea – No Other Choice
12. Spain – Sirât
13. Switzerland – Late Shift
14. Taiwan – Left-Handed Girl
15. Tunisia – The Voice of Hind Rajab
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Fifteen live action short films made the shortlist from more than 200 entries. These films tell complete stories in a short format using real actors.
Some of the shortlisted titles include A Friend of Dorothy, Rock, Paper, Scissors, and The Singers.
1. Ado
2. Amarela
3. Beyond Silence
4. The Boy with White Skin
5. Butcher’s Stain
6. Butterfly on a Wheel
7. Dad’s Not Home
8. Extremist
9. A Friend of Dorothy
10. Jane Austen’s Period Drama
11. Pantyhose
12. The Pearl Comb
13. Rock, Paper, Scissors
14. The Singers
15. Two People Exchanging Saliva
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Ten films were shortlisted in this category. This award honors the creative work behind character looks, including makeup effects and hairstyling.
Films like Frankenstein, Sinners, The Ugly Stepsister, and Wicked: For Good stood out.
1. The Alto Knights
2. Frankenstein
3. Kokuho
4. Marty Supreme
5. Nuremberg
7. Sinners
8. The Smashing Machine
9. The Ugly Stepsister
10. Wicked: For Good
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Twenty original scores made the shortlist. This category focuses on the background music written specifically for a film.
Strong contenders include Avatar: Fire and Ash, Tron: Ares, Frankenstein, Sinners, and Train Dreams.
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash
2. Bugonia
3. Captain America: Brave New World
4. Diane Warren: Relentless
5. F1
6. Frankenstein
7. Hamnet
8. Hedda
9. A House of Dynamite
10. Jay Kelly
11. Marty Supreme
12. Nuremberg
14. Sinners
15. Sirât
16. Train Dreams
17. Tron: Ares
18. Truth and Treason
19. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
20. Wicked: For Good
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Fifteen songs advanced in the Original Song category. These songs must be written specifically for the films they appear in.
Some highlights include songs from Wicked: For Good, Sinners, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and Tron: Ares.
1. “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” – Tron: Ares
2. “Dear Me” – Diane Warren: Relentless
3. “Dream As One” – Avatar: Fire and Ash
4. “Drive” – F1
5. “Dying To Live” – Billy Idol Should Be Dead
6. “The Girl In The Bubble” – Wicked: For Good
7. “Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
8. “Highest 2 Lowest” – Highest 2 Lowest
9. “I Lied To You” – Sinners
10. “Last Time (I Seen The Sun)” – Sinners
11. “No Place Like Home” – Wicked: For Good
12. “Our Love” – The Ballad of Wallis Island
13. “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” – Come See Me in the Good Light
14. “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” – Viva Verdi!
15. “Train Dreams” – Train Dreams
SOUND
Sound design plays a big role in how films feel and flow. Ten films were shortlisted, including Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Superman, F1, and Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Academy members will watch selected scenes before voting.
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash
2. F1
3. Frankenstein
4. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
6. Sinners
7. Sirât
8. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
9. Superman
10. Wicked: For Good
VISUAL EFFECTS
Ten films remain in the Visual Effects race. This category honors the technical and creative teams behind major on-screen effects.
Big titles like Avatar: Fire and Ash, Jurassic World Rebirth, The Electric State, Superman, and Tron: Ares made the shortlist.
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash
2. The Electric State
3. F1
4. Frankenstein
5. Jurassic World Rebirth
6. The Lost Bus
7. Sinners
8. Superman
9. Tron: Ares
10. Wicked: For Good
WHAT’S NEXT?
Oscar nominations voting runs from January 12 to January 16, 2026. The official nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026.
The 98th Oscars ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, celebrating the best in film from around the world.
This shortlist gives a clear picture of the films leading the awards conversation this season.