Live Action Short Shortlist Predictions for the 98th Academy Awards

Our last of three shortlist predictions is Live Action Short. The list this year was excruciatingly hard to make, so we are here to bring you a full picture that includes 2 Dark Horses and 10 others we feel are just as capable of a spot on this list. WIth an increase of submissions of 207 (up from 188 last year), lack of clear frontrunners and a deep slate, this year predictions feel harder than ever. Every leg up counts including executive producers and past success. The past two years we have guessed 8/15 correctly, we would be thrilled in such a hard year to have similar success. Follow along with our podcast below as we break down why we selected each for the list.

1) The Singers, dir. Sam Davis

Podcast Timestamp: 01:12

Well known cinematographer Sam Davis who previously worked on shorts like Academy award nominee Nai Nai & Wài Pó and Academy award winner Period. End of Sentence. is back this season with The Singers. Adapted from the 1852 short story with the same title from author Ivan Turgenev, it is set in a dimly lit bar in the middle of a snowstorm. The bar is filled with men drinking alone, weathering the storm in silence until a couple of them attempt to strike up a conversation, complaining loudly about life's struggles to the rest of the patrons who do not care to listen. Unprompted, the suggestion of a song is brought up and through a series of bumps between male egos a bet to find out who the best singer in the bar is made. But it turns out the bar is sporting more than one star voice that night. Since premiering at Tribeca The Singers has gone on to win Best Narrative Short at Indy Shorts International Film Festival.

2) Beyond Silence, dir. Marnie Blok

Podcast Timestamp: 04:15

Beyond Silence knocked us off our feet at Tribeca with a trio of tour de force performances and a visceral, affecting screenplay. Each actresss brings a very unique aspect to their performance. Henrianne Jansen plays a deaf woman named Eva. She brings a nervousness to her story and a doubt that she will be understood or heard. The emotion in her signing and her frustration that she isn't understood can be deeply felt and leaves a haunting mark that will stay with you long after the short ends. Sigrid ten Napel as Anna shows intense advocacy for Eva, being the support she needs not only to translate sign language but is also there as her emotional support. It's easy to see her care for Eva, reassuring her in the moments she is most filled with doubt and constantly standing in her corner, helping her to carry on. She is a mediator, not only to Sandrine but the audience as well as she passionately gives a voice to Eva. Tamara van den Dop as Sandrine gives a understated and restrained performance, as she feels she must hold back and remain professional. This lasts until the very last moments where she gets to let out a burst of emotion. Almost the entirety of the short takes place in a single room which makes this even more impressive as it allows the engaging performances to be the focus and take the drivers seat.

Beyond Silence won Best Narrative Short at Tribeca Film Festival amongst tough competition, including several other shorts you see on this list placing it firmly in one of our top spots on this list.

3) The Truck, dir. Elizabeth Rao

Podcast Timestamp: 07:15

The Truck is a short film written and directed by Elizabeth Rao, in which we follow the young couple Jo (played by Shirley Chen) and Arash (played by Daniel Zolghadri) as they attempt to buy the morning-after pill in their small town, following a night of young exploration. As to be expected in post-Roe America, reproductive rights and the lack of medical support quickly come into question, as the howers drag on the couple grow increasingly desperate for a solution. With an impressive run starting back in 2024 this student short has been steadily gaining traction and picking up awards and nominations along the way. Adding fuel to its impressive fire, Spike Lee and Joan Chen recently signed on as executive producers.

4) Dad's Not Home, dir.. Jan Saczek

Podcast Timestamp: 08:47

With 5 straight Student Academy Gold Medal winners being shortlisted for live action (2024's The Compatriot, 2023's Invisible Border, 2022's Almost Home, 2021's Tala'vision and When The Sun Sets), statistically it would be crazy not to leave a place on our list for Dad's Not Home. But aside from that statistic, we feel like it would make it in on its own merit. It's a film with powerful performances from Konrad Kąkol as Kuba who shoulders most of the drama, balancing anger and resentment with a heartbreaking fragility and Piotr Łukawski who delivers a similarly nuanced performance as David, bringing a haunting blankness to the role that allows for ambiguous interpretations of his emotions.

Jan Saczek's film is impressive not only in its visual design and the strength of its performances, but also in its writing. A student at the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School at the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, writer-director Jan Saczek and cinematographer Patryk Roman communicate the family's situation without expository dialogue. Taken together, Dad's Not Home suggests a filmmaker with a strong command of the craft.

5) Rise, dir. Jessica J. Rowlands

Podcast Timestamp: 10:35

Earllier this year Rise became the first film from Zimbabwe ever included in the Tribeca lineup. Director Jessica J. Rowlands, who spent her formative years in Zimbabwe, intimately and powerfully tells the story of boxing coach Tobias Mupfuti, who though his boxing academy and orphanage in Victoria Falls, provided housing and support to at-risk youths. The plot follows a young boy named Rise and his journey from living in a landfill in Zimbabwe to becoming a boxing prodigy with the help of a coach who, although reluctantly, decides to train him.  Anchored by an all-African cast and crew, Rise gives off a warm glow of energy. This is aided by both the cinematography from DOP Jacques Naudé which is impressive, especially in its use of lighting and the energy injected throughout using interludes of artists, many from Zimbabwe, including Victoria Falls' own Mokoomba and Zimdancehall artists like Nutty O and Jah Signal. Rise is not only a story about the compassionate work of boxing coach Tobias Mupfuti, but a heartfelt story of conquering your fears and not letting past hurt stop you from letting someone in.

Rise recently added previous Oscar nominee Misan Harriman (The After) as an executive producer and has been catching the eye of Hollywood stars such as Viola Davis who expressed her admiration for the short.

6) I'm Glad You're Dead Now, dir. Tawfeek Barhom

Podcast Timestamp: 13:15

Writer / director Tawfeek Barhom brings us a stark and poignant family drama in I'm Glad You're Dead Now. Tawfeek is also starring as Reda, one of two brothers - the other being Abu Rushd played by his real life brother Ashraf Barhom - who return to their childhood island where they are forced to confront the dark secrets of their past. Abu Rushd is suffering from dementia, which only serves to increase the mental pressure on Reda who not only has to live with his own memories but also constantly remind his brother of their history. It is a very restrained performance that plays its cards close to the chest, only to deliver a gut punch of a finale.

7) Money Talks, dir. Tony Mucci

Podcast Timestamp: 14:55

Inanimate objects don't get to tell their stories. We often forget, but there is a rich background and multiple meanings behind the everyday items in our lives. From this perspective, experienced music video director Tony Mucci, responsible for music videos featuring trap artists such as Trippie Redd, Polo G, Iann Dior, and Juice WRLD, delves into the stories behind a hundred-dollar bill. Mucci develops intertwining micro-stories that narrate a snippet of time of several people in New York on January 20th, 1981, the day of the Inauguration of then-American President Ronald Reagan. 

In an impressive kaleidoscope of stories about greed, addictions, and constant seeking for pleasure, Tony Mucci engraves his name on the directors to watch list through his talented directing on Money Talk$. The fast-paced cuts employ a fascinating rhythm to interest the audience in each of the stories presented. Mucci's ability to create a universe and think about its possibilities in a cinematic manner is noteworthy. The camera movements employ references from 1940s noir films and 1970s New Hollywood criminal thrillers and the detailed work on the sets and costumes of the characters immerse the audience into that very particular day in 1981.

With Francesca Scorsese in the cast and Christopher Lloyd as an executive producer Money Talks has no shortage of big names involved in the short.

8) Extremist, dir. Alexander Molochnikov

Podcast Timestamp: 17:45

Extremist is inspired by the true story of Sasha Skochilenko, a Russian artist and musician who was arrested and imprisoned for seven years for replacing four price tags with anti-war messages. The New Yorker acquired the Alexander Molochnikov-directed live action short after it premiered at Telluride and will debut the film this week. Extremist has picked up Executive Producers along its successful festival run, including Ben Stiller, campaigning to have the film seen and voted for. Molochnikov was the former Bolshoi opera and ballet director until he spoke out against the Russian war on Ukraine in 2022 and eventually fled his home city Saint Petersburg for the United States. The opposition to the war in Russia by the film and its director will likely appeal to the members of the Academy, as it explores the personal cost of dissent in a time of rising censorship and authoritarianism.

9) Don't Be Late Myra, dir. Afia Nathaniel

Podcast Timestamp: 20:40

Don't Be Late Myra is a short that starts innocent enough with the titular girl Myra missing her ride home from school, leaving her to walk home through the streets of leering men. What this short turns into in the last few minutes is a bleak and devastating reveal. The "child in danger" narrative is one that plays well with the Academy and this fits the bill. Don't Be Late Myra is supported by two time Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy as an executive producer.

10) Snipped, dir. Alexander Saul

Podcast Timestamp: 21:55

Writer-Director Alexander Saul that just last year brought us Lovesick is back with Snipped, a short film about a jewish convert named Adam, played by Louis Bodnia Andersen, who as an adult has made the decision to get circumcised to get closer to his god - or something along those lines. Travelling there accompanied by his father, Adam seems very unsure about his decision and the reasoning for doing it in the first place. Nevertheless he perseveres, only to be met with a doctor whose idea of calming down the situation seems to be making jokes at his expense. Snipped is a film that leaves a huge impression as it builds a very addictive and strange kind of tension, it feels almost like you want to look away yet laugh while doing so. Snipped is a product of the Danish M&M Productions which supports some of the best short films in the region and Snipped is no exception to the quality shorts they produce.

11) Two People Exchanging Saliva, dirs. Alexandre Singh, Natalie Musteata

Podcast Timestamp: 24:31

Narrated by Vicky Krieps, Two People Exchanging Saliva sets its scene in a world where kisses are punishable by death and slaps to the face are a form of payment. In this dystopia, unhappily married Angine (Zar Amir, Holy Spider) finds herself flirting with catastrophe as she becomes infatuated with salesgirl Malaise (Luàna Bajrami, Portrait of a Lady on Fire), putting them both in danger. The strikingly stark black-and-white photography makes Two People Exchanging Saliva stand out from other short film submissions. Selected by Barry Jenkins for its World Premiere at Telluride Film Festival, Two People Exchanging Saliva qualified for Oscar by winning AFI Fest 2024 Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short and won Clermont Ferrand Film Festival 2025 Canal+ Award and Audience Award, as well as SCAD Savannah Film Festival Best Shorts Spotlight. Just this week Isabelle Huppert joined the film as Executive Producer, and Two People Exchanging Saliva is now being adapted by its directors into a full-length feature.

12) One Day This Kid, dir. Alexander Farah

Podcast Timestamp: 29:28

Shot on 35 mm film and Inspired by the David Wojnarowicz text of the same name, One Day This Kid is a coming-of-age film that follows a similar structure to Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight and has hints of Charlotte Wells' Aftersun, but is able to remain unique and beautiful in its own way. 

One Day This Kid starts off with a nostalgic punch for us millennials, as the theme song of Tetris rings out from a gameboy that a boy named Hamed is playing in the backseat of a car. In a wholesome moment, Hamed’s dad returns to the car with slushies and shows Hamed how to pump gas into a car. 

Writer/Director Alexander Farah excels at character building, choosing subtle and crucial moments of Hamed’s childhood to create his narrative. As we learn that Hamed is curious or interested in other boys, you see small fractures in Hamed and his fathers relationship, all ending with a swell of emotion that is sure to choke you up and leave you teary-eyed.

One Day This Kid has had an extremely successful awards run over the past year and a half. After premiering at TIFF 2024, it has gone on to win many awards including Best Narrative Short at SXSW. Dan Levy of Schitt's Creek fame has also recently signed on as an Executive Producer. You can go watch this short now exclusively on Criterion Channel.

13) The Second Time Around, dir. Jack Howard

Podcast Timestamp: 31:10

The Second Time Around starts off with an unnamed older woman, played by Caroline Goodall, standing outside a café under the blanket of a dark and rainy night sky. Inside the café we find the barista Elle (pronounced Ell-e), played by Hannah Onslow, busy cleaning up after a long day's work. The woman knocks the door startling Elle, who proceeds to cautiously open the door. She explains that she came by before and accidentally left her umbrella behind, and after some convincing Elle agrees to let her in to look for it.

Balancing the narrow line between mysterious and unsettling, writer-director Jack Howard paints a beautiful picture of a tale left for us viewers to interpret as we see fit. Plot holes become little nuggets intentionally left behind to prompt discussion in a clever way that I think reveals more about us as viewers rather than the film itself. It is a high concept film with a down to earth approach, grounded in relations and human nature, touching on the subject of mental health in a delicate manner.

14) Ado, dir. Sam Henderson

Podcast Timestamp: 33:30

The tense and affecting ADO stars iconic actress and Critics’ Choice Award nominee Jenifer Lewis (TV’s Black-ish) as Ms. Hopkins, a drama teacher rehearsing Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing with her middle school theatre class, when it is interrupted by a school shooter. ADO qualified for the Oscars by winning an award at the American Black Film Festival. Gun violence is unfortunately always front of mind for (especially American) voters (as in the 2021 winner in the Animated Short category, If Anything Happens I Love You), and Academy voters have shown they are likely to vote for hot-button films in this category.

15) Olive, dir. Tom Koch

Podcast Timestamp: 35:40

In Olive, writer/director Tom Koch plays Sam who is responsible for caring for his grandmother (played by Academy Award nominee Lesley Ann Warren). It is hard to say too much about this short film without major spoilers, but Tom Koch pens a really solid screenplay that allows something to feel slightly off with the relationship between Sam and his grandma and the comings and goings of Sam, without giving anything away until a twist that flips the narrative on its head. Olive is executive produced by Andrew Carlberg who has a lot of success in this category, producing 2018 Oscar winner Skin and 2019 Oscar nominee Feeling Through.

2 DARK HORSES:

These two films were incredibly hard to cut from our list of 15, so we wanted to give them their own category in the predictions as ones to watch out for.

Mercy, dir. Hedda Mjøen

Podcast Timestamp: 38:15

After a chance encounter with her estranged best friend Petter, who stands accused of rape, Guro is thrust into a harrowing moral dilemma: should she stand by him, risking her own reputation and sense of self, or sever the tie, abandoning someone she once trusted most? Mercy premiered at the 48th Norwegian Short Film Festival, where it qualified for the Oscars by winning the Golden Chair award for Best Norwegian Short; it also won Best Short Film at the Norwegian Film Awards. The film’s stark, unflinching narrative (sexual abuse and its fallout is a surprisingly common theme in this year’s submitted shorts) examines the fragile line between loyalty and judgment, forcing audiences to wrestle with uncomfortable questions about friendship, stigma, and how quickly trust fractures under accusation.

When Everything Was Blue, dir. Christina Chironna

Podcast Timestamp: 41:00

Christina Chironna’s directorial debut When Everything Was Blue features a collection of home video style footage which is so convincing in its framing that I genuinely saw it as a documentary during my first viewing. It follows a family where the father was a first responder during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, told from the perspective of the aftermath of the attack and the health issues that arose from being present on site amidst the debris. With the clips often focused on the children in the family, it gives off a wholesome facade of heartwarming scenes as we watch them grow up. Brewing in the background however is a whole other story, one of the shortcomings of the American hospital system and the lack of support returned to those who gave theirs without hesitation.

10 Other Major Contenders:

These ten films although receiving some votes on our ballots missed out on making our list. But definitely do not count them out as they have plenty of going for them!

The Boy With White Skin, dir. Simon Panay

Podcast Timestamp: 43:48

Through a series of enthralling and claustrophobic shots, The Boy With White Skin follows an albino child deep into the earth through the tunnels of mines. As stunning as it is suffocating, it's a short that demands your attention as the boy's innocence and fear descends with him to the depths of the mine. This innocence is exploited to provide hope for gold as he sings to the walls dripping around him. Perhaps most important to this short is the sound design, as the songs echo against the walls of the mine, giving the film a spiritual feeling.

Clout, dir. Jordan Murphy Doidge

Podcast Timestamp: 44:57

Jojo Rabbit star Archie Yates plays a teen who gets caught up in the dangers of the internet in the trailer for Clout, from director Jordan Murphy Doidge. The Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying short follows 13-year-old Oskar as his desperate pursuit of attention spirals into something sinister. Clout echoes themes explored in Netflix’s enormously popular limited series Adolescence, situating it firmly within a global conversation about identity, vulnerability and the dark side of coming of age online. Executive Producers of Clout include short film powerhouse producer Kim Magnusson (who has had a short nominated in this category for the last five years), and Sophie Winkleman (British royal and actress). Clout qualified for the Oscars theatrically, and the filmmakers have partnered with U.K. charities Family Lives, The Mix, Into Film and Arts Emergency in hopes of sparking dialogue around youth mental health and online safety.

A Bear Remembers, dirs. Linden Feng, Hannah Palumbo

Podcast Timestamp: 46:53

Set in a mythic reimaging of modern Britain, A Bear Remembers is a richly evocative world where folklore reigns and spirits roam the countryside, an atmosphere in which there is a thin line between the spiritual world and the real world. In Greyhill, a small town on the outskirts of a ruined village, a mysterious and repetitive metallic clanging sound is plaguing the local community day and night, and the residents of the town are looking for answers. Though A Bear Remembers is more concerned with questions than with their answers, to say more about what the two find would spoil the constantly surprising story. A Bear Remembers is a film that is in conversation with the past, about the importance of cultural heritage, and about trying to remember. A Bear Remembers qualified after winning Best Drama at Aspen Shortfest.

Mercenaire, dir. Pier-Philippe Chevigny

Podcast Timestamp: 49:24

French-Canadian Director Pier-Philippe Chevigny is carving a path as an emerging director with thought-provoking takes on relevant social issues, particularly surrounding socioeconimcally challenged groups. Mercenaire provides an empathetic portrait of reintegration. It is a testament to Marc-André’s convincing portrayal and Pier-Philippe’s direction of the camera. The camera stays directly with David for almost the whole short with shots that loom over his shoulder and to his side. It's a choice that engages and draws in the viewer to create a film that you can't help but relate to the main character.

Trapped, dirs. Sam Cutler-Kreutz, David Cutler-Kreutz

Podcast Timestamp: 50:48

From the writer / director brothers David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz who last year brought us the Academy award nominee A Lien, we are this season treated to their follow up film Trapped. It centers around the high school janitor Joaquin, played by Javier Molina, during a late night cleaning shift. Coming from modest means, Joaquin is forced to bring his child with him to work as a way of solving the ever so complicated life puzzle. Unbeknownst to them both, they are also joined in the night by a group of drunk teenage boys in the midst of a senior prank. Already caught in a pinch, Joaquin attempts to reason with the boys and navigate the situation to the best of his ability, but as the night goes on the stakes grow increasingly higher.

A Friend of Dorothy, dir. Lee Knight

Podcast Timestamp: 52:37

A Friend of Dorothy is what I call a "comfort" short. It's one to watch to be enraptured by the blossoming friendship of an unlikely pair. After accidentally kicking his football into 87 year-old Dorothy’s (Miriam Margolyes) backyard, JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) is invited into her house to help her open her can of prunes. From there, a beautiful friendship forms between the two over tea and continues as JJ tells Dorothy of his hopes and dreams in life. In a time where we see so much negativity in the news, A Friend of Dorothy offers a welcoming vibe and message. It encourages you to follow your dreams, be selfless, and embrace vulnerability. It teaches you to enjoy the company of strangers and to offer them a helping hand, because you never know, the unlikeliest of encounters could turn out to be exactly what you needed. A Friend of Dorothy has been a crowd favourite at festivals this year winning audience awards at Indy Shorts and Odense Film Festival, best director at HollyShorts Film Festival and Best Drama at Hollyshorts London.

Rock Paper Scissors, dir. Franz Böhm

Podcast Timestamp: 55:35

After winning a BAFTA at the beginning of this year, Rock Paper Scissors is back and ready to compete for an Oscar. Despite a long run and a gap between award seasons Rock Paper Scissors is gaining momentum at the right time after winning the Bet Short Film Grand prize at Hollyshorts London last month. Rock Paper Scissors is based off a true story and centers on Ivan who helps run a small hospital near the frontlines of the Russian-Ukrainian war. As Russian soldiers approach the hospital the tension in the short is palpable and Ivan must make life or death decisions. The story remains as relevant as ever Russia and Ukraine have been in talks as of recently to end the war.

The Pearl Comb, dir. Ali Cook

Podcast Timestamp: 57:10

Half-British historical drama, half-folk mystery, The Pearl Comb transports you to 1893 Cornwall. World-building in a short is perhaps one of the most difficult feats to accomplish. Director/writer Ali Cook makes it look easy. He seamlessly crafts a world full of mystery and mythology centered around a fisherman's wife, Betty Lutey (Beatie Edney) who has miraculously cured someone of tuberculosis. The Pearl Comb takes place in an era where women were silenced and told to stay in their lane. They were meant to stay at home and let the men pursue professions like medicine. This idea of societal structures is tackled head on in this short: a woman takes her power back by fighting the dated ideologies of a doctor sent to put her in her place. This exquisitely crafted short that blends drama, fantasy and elements of horror, serves as a reminder of the strength and intellect of women in their fight to become and remain equal.

We Have Sinned Before You, dir. Ifat Nener Orgad

Podcast Timestamp: 59:42

We Have Sinned Before You is written and directed by the debuting Ifat Nener Orgad. Set during Yom Kippur, it tells the small scale relatable story of a family who find themselves stuck together in a small space for the first time in a while. With the teenage daughter of the family in particular, the lack of access to the internet albeit temporary is especially palpable, as the father of the family ironically comments that it is nice to see her once a year. Growing increasingly bored the family decides to join in on the younger daughters' game, but things quickly spiral as it brings out their dark secrets. The short won the Gold Medal at this year's rendition of the Manhattan Short festival, beating out a lot of big players in this year’s field and asserting its position as a player in this year's awards race.

Butcher’s Stain, dir. Meyer Levinson-Blount

Podcast Timestamp: 1:01:24

Butcher's Stain enters the Oscar race after winning the silver medal at this years Student Academy Awards. Last year marked the first time since the shortlists were increased to 15 that a silver medalist made it onto the shortlist. It seems very possible for that trend to continue with a Butcher's Stain. Meyer Levinson-Blount does it all in this short, not only does he direct but he wrote the script and acts in the film. Omar Sameer does a fantastic job in this short as he plays a butcher in a grocery store. Butcher's Stain takes place post-October 7th attacks where someone has been tearing down posters of the hostages in the staff breakroom. With a creatively formulated script it cautions against racism and hate against Arabs in Israeli society.

Other Honourable Mentions:

Podcast Timestamp: 01:02:42

There Will Come Soft Rains, dir. Elham Ehsas

Chasingtheparty, dir. Jessie Komitor

Flight 182, dir. Rippin Sindher

Just The Usual, dir. Nanna Tange

Largo, dirs. Salvatore Scarpa, Max Burgoyne-Moore

Shutter Bird, dir. Réi

Unspoken, dir. Damian Walshe-Howling

Three Keenings, dir. Oliver McGoldrick

The Morning Of, dir. Merced Elizondo