Animated Short Shortlist Predictions for the 98th Academy Awards

In last years predictions we had a strong showing in animated short, correctly predicting 10 out of 15, including all five eventual nominees. This year we are back with our shortlist predictions for the 98th Academy Awards and are hoping to keep that momentum going. After 88 short films qualified last year, a deep and incredible batch of 113 qualified this year (quite a jump). Below are our 15 we have selected to most likely make the shortlist as well as 10 other major contenders in the category. Check out our podcast as well for a full analysis and thoughts on why we chose what we chose (see time stamps to jump to a specific short).

1) Snow Bear, dir. Aaron Blaise

Podcast Timestamp: 01:42

There is perhaps no director on this list as iconic as Aaron Blaise. Having worked as an animator on Disney classics such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan, Pocahontas, The Lion King and The Iron Giant and codirecting 2003's Brother Bear, Aaron returns to his bear roots with Snow Bear. Not only is Snow Bear a commentary on the arctics battle with climate change, it is also inspired by Aaron's wife who he lost to breast cancer in 2007 and his journey to overcome the pain and sadness it brought. With gorgeous hand-drawn animation Aaron creates an equally cute and thoughtful story that will surely melt your heart.

2) Retirement Plan, dir. John Kelly

Podcast Timestamp: 04:07

“I should exercise more”, “I should learn a foreign language”, “I should save more for retirement”, “I should have that conversation”, “I should…For many people life is filled with I-should’s. An urge to do more, to be better, to explore, and a will to do so in the distant land of another day. In John Kelly’s retirement plan this theme is explored through the eyes of Ray, voiced by Domhnall Gleeson. Ray is somewhere in the middle of his life and overstimulated while simultaneously low in motivation. He dreams of his big retirement plan, of fitting multiple lifetimes worth of activities into those twilight years. It is worth highlighing the script from writers John Kelly and Tara Lawall specifically, the words flow so well as a standalone poem that you can close your eyes and listen, dreaming of your own version of the story and what you would plan to do. Retirement Plan won several qualifying awards throughout the awards season including Best of the Fest at Palm Springs Shortfest and Best Animated Short at South by Southwest.

Read our full review here: https://www.shortstickfilms.com/post/2025-palm-springs-international-shortfest-award-winners-review-roundup

3) The Girl Who Cried Pearls, dir. Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski

Podcast Timestamp: 06:38

In The Girl Who Cried Pearls, Oscar-nominated filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (Madame Tutli-Putli, 2007) craft a tale of the endless greed of men and the mysterious working of the divine. The Girl Who Cried Pearls reminds us that it’s the story behind something that gives it a value, not the object itself. The immaculately crafted sets of The Girl Who Cried Pearls are so detailed, that is possible even to read the tiny newspapers that line the walls of rooms. It’s ironic, and deliberate, that a film so deeply invested in the value of narrative is also so beautifully detailed and full of visual treasures. The puppets, sets, and costumes draw us into the film, but it’s the myth they carry that lasts past the end of The Girl Who Cried Pearls. The short is distributed by the National Film Board of Canada - a mainstay on the animated shortlist for years.

Read our full review here: https://www.shortstickfilms.com/post/ottawa-international-animation-festival-review-roundup

4) Éiru, dir. Giovanna Ferrari

Podcast Timestamp: 07:40

From the beloved studio that has brought plenty of Oscar nominees in the feature category like The Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner and Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon offers up their latest Oscar contender in short film Éiru. Éiru had a very successful festival season winning Best Animated Short at Indy Shorts and Riverrun International Film Festival. It is a short film that is urgent and relevant to the times we live in. In a world where there is so much division, Éiru houses a story that promotes putting aside hate and coming together to solve problems and shows how even the smallest of us can make a difference.

5) Playing God, dir. Matteo Burani

Podcast Timestamp: 10:50

Tribeca winner of Best Animated Short, Playing God is one of the most masterful stop-motions of the year. It uses the moldable medium of clay to create an equally visceral and upsetting short that verges on the genre of body horror. It is gooey and grotesque at moments but even those who aren't into the genre or dark plot line are sure to be floored and confounded by the detailed animation. The animation community has never been one to shy away from weird and wonderful shorts which gives this a spot on our shortlist predictions.

6) A Sparrow's Song, dir. Tobias Eckerlin

Podcast Timestamp: 14:10

A Sparrow's Song is a film that sticks with you in a beautiful way, embodying melancholy and optimism in tandem. The attention to detail shows a deep respect for the source material. It is a story that moves slowly and deliberately, in spite of the relatively short runtime of under ten minutes it is allowed to breathe and linger in the right spots, giving the film a heft which is vital to making that impact which it does.This attention and discipline extends to the sparrow itself too. The animals' anatomy and movements appear very natural to me as a viewer, even in the unnatural setting of a war bunker. The soundwork is of highlight, especially related to the bird specifically. The wind twirling around the wings as it takes flight or the subtle tapping of the feet as it moves from sitting on a hand or a shoulder, to strutting down the piano keys or a wooden surface really stood out to me. While certainly not overpowering, it helps draw you into the space as a viewer and further powers the realism that the look of the film is going for. A Sparrow's Song won gold at the Student Academy Awards. With 3 straight animated gold winners making the shortlist, we would be shocked to not see this one follow suit.

Read our full review here: https://www.shortstickfilms.com/post/2025-student-academy-award-winners-series-part-6-a-sparrow-s-song

7) Versa, Malcon Pierce

Podcast Timestamp: 15:31

Having this being the only entry on this list we weren't able to see, we can't say too much outside of what we have read. Versa is a product of Disney (an animation giant that needs no introduction), and has a logline of: A young couple looking to start a family who experience emotions—from grief and loss to ultimate joy—as they embark on an ethereal, abstract, and imaginative cosmic dance of life. Director Malcon Pierce has been involved in some of the most successful animation projects over the last 15 years working on the animation in films like Frozen, Moana, Big Hero 6, Encanto, Wish, Wreck-it-Ralph and many more.

8) Forevergreen, dirs. Nathan Engelhardt, Jeremy Spears

Podcast Timestamp: 17:40

Backed by a wholesome story and a magnificent score by Josh Garrels, Forevergreen is sure to tug at your heartstrings. With tactile and wooden CG animation, Forevergreen tells the unlikely story of a tree fathering a bear cub whose hunger leads him into danger. Forevergreen has been wowing audiences across the world being an official selection at dozens of Oscar-qualifying festivals and recently picking up the Best Animated Short award at AFI Fest.

9) Wednesday with Gramps, dirs. Justin Copeland, Chris Copeland

Podcast Timestamp: 20:25

Named to Variety's 2021 list of 10 animators to watch, Chris and Justin Copeland have been refining their skills as storyboard artists for a decade. The brothers were recently recruited by LAIKA studios to develop future animated features for them. In Wednesday with Gramps their creative talents are on full display as directors as they create a short that is a whole lot of fun. Wednesday with Gramps explores the importance of spending time with your family and bonding over gaming, and we aren't just talking your average game of chess game. Wednesday with Gramps uses an animation style built on the foundation of old-school video games and expanded to create a unique visual experience that immerses you into a world not unlike our own. Even with its short runtime you are taken through a range of emotions from laughter to sorrow.

10) The Night Boots, dir. Pierre-Luc Granjon

Podcast Timestamp: 21:58

Like a series of charcoal drawings torn out of a lost-and-found spooky children’s book, Pierre-Luc Granjon’s The Night Boots takes viewers on an adventurous journey through dark woods. The realistically detailed backgrounds mix with incredibly exaggerated stylized characters to create a play of light and shadow that not only frightens but also shows the power of bravery and friendship. To create The Night Boots Granjon used a method called pinscreen animation. It uses a metallic frame in which 277,000 white tubes are stuck and within each tube, there is a 5mm long black pin. When all the pins are pushed inside, only the tubes are visible, and the screen is white. With the pins pulled out, they project a shadow on the surface from the side-lit projector and these shadows create different greys and black. The immense amount of work required to create a single frame, as well as the practical restrictions of pinscreen animation have led to its reputation as one of the last popular methods of animating. Granjon used the technical limitations of the pinscreen to heighten the eerie crepuscular feeling of The Night Boots. Characters don’t move fluidly, they simply evaporate and reappear, being closer and closer to each other.

Read our full review here: https://www.shortstickfilms.com/post/ottawa-international-animation-festival-review-roundup

11) Hurikán, dir. Jan Saska

Podcast Timestamp: 24:43

Set in Prague, Hurikàn is a darkly comedic story of a beer-run gone wrong. In a world full of humans, our protagonist is a pig. To impress the bartender he has a crush on, he offers to go and grab a new keg. At every turn there is an obstacle as he fights off those around him and his own thirst and desire for beer. The black and white visuals and engaging story pull you in to the bleakness of the night, leaving you rooting for a character who seems not all that lovable. Hurikán is distributed by Miyu Distrinution who consistently has one of the best slates of animated shorts. This feels like one of their strongest players in this years Oscars race. Hurikán also won Best Animated Short at Hollyshorts Film Festival this year against a pretty stacked animation field.

12) The 12 Inch Pianist, dir. Lucas Ansel

Podcast Timestamp: 26:59

Lucas Ansel's short film is centered around a classic joke involving a bar, a genie with a hearing problem, and a miniature pianist. Ansel, a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, created this as his senior film, drawing inspiration from Simon Rich's short story "Guy Walks Into a Bar," published in The New Yorker in 2013. Narratively, the film builds to the expected punchline, but what follows in its wake is where the film subverts those expectations.. Ansel's direction demonstrates great strength in adaptation, staying close to the source material while also making strong directorial choices in the transition to screen. The 12 Inch Pianist won silver at this years Student Academy Awards.

Read our full review here: https://www.shortstickfilms.com/post/2025-student-academy-award-winners-series-part-4-the-12-inch-pianist

13) Whale 52, dir. Daniel Neiden

Podcast Timestamp: 28:12

Directed by Daniel Neiden and animated by two-time Academy Award nominee Bill Plympton (Your Face, 1988 and Guard Dog, 2005), Whale 52, inspired by the legend of the world’s loneliest whale, is the story a boy with selective mutism and an aging widower, bound by loss and sorrow, who learn to communicate with each other and find healing. Plympton is a legend in the animation community, whose animated features and shorts have won prizes at Cannes, and Annecy, with Plympton himself having received a special Annie Award. His name alone is sure to draw viewers to Whale 52, and the short film’s charming story and tear-jerkingly emotional resolution will garner many votes.

14) Ovary- Acting, dir. Ida Melum

Podcast Timestamp: 31:25

Ida Melum who in 2021 gave us her directorial debut in the form of BAFTA nominated Night of the Living Dread is back this season with Ovary-Acting. With visual and conceptual similarities, her specific style becomes instantly recognisable through the comedic and relatable anxious situations taking shape in the form of stop motion fabric dolls with exaggerated facial features. Ovary-acting tackles the heavy questions about having child with a generous measure of comedic relief and charm, keeping an otherwise very complex conversation digestible and entertaining. It does not necessarily lean one way or the other, nor does not offer any answers. Instead, it allows these thoughts to stay complex and sways strongly in the way of allowing the doubts and questions to take up the space they need, a lesson I believe all parties could gain from learning.

Read our full review here: https://www.shortstickfilms.com/post/2025-tribeca-review-roundup-part-1

15) Shadows, dir. Rand Beiruty

Podcast Timestamp: 34:55

The essential Shadows tells the true and disturbing story of a 14-year old girl in Baghdad who is the victim of a forced marriage and domestic violence. Shadows qualified for the Academy Awards by winning the International Competition at Regard: Saguenay International Film Festival, where it “moved the jury through its sensitive approach and the perspective it adopts.” Shadows has had a successful festival run, having premiered at Venice IFF, and playing at the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival. By animating this tragic story, director Rand Beiruty finds a powerful way to bring this poignant testimony to life.

10 Other Major Contenders:

Podcast Timestamp: 36:07

Murmuration, dir. Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger

As If Swallowed by Earth, dir. Natalia León

My Brother My Brother, dir. Saad Dnewar, Abdelrahman Dnewar

Cardboard, dir. Jean-Philippe Vine

Solstice, dir. Luke Angus

Two Ships, dir. McKinley Benson

Inkwo for When the Starving Return, dir.  Amanda Strong

The Quinta’s Ghost, dir.James A. Castillo

Budo, dirs. Amanda Aagard, Alexander Toma

Transferable, dirs. Jacob Gardner, David Hubert