Elysia is joined by Brandon from ShortStick blog and podcast for a look at the five nominees for each of the three short-film Oscar categories: Animated Shorts (00:08:29), Documentary Shorts (00:29:07), and Live-Action Shorts (00:54:48).

They lay out what each short film is, what makes it stand out, and where you can see them (when possible), as they discuss how short films works differently from feature films and the more difficult path to nomination, and also call out other top shorts from this awards season that they think Lorehounds listeners will also love.

Find Brandon at: Shortstick Films blog & podcast (on Spotify)

Nominated Shorts:

Animated Shorts

Butterfly – trailer, info, full film*
Forevergreen – trailer, info, full film*
The Girl Who Cried Pearls – trailer, info, full film* (in French), full film* (English dub)
Retirement Plan – trailer, info
The Three Sisters – trailer, info

Other shorts mentioned: Snow Bear (full film*), Playing God, The Night Boots, Hurikán, The Shyness of Trees (full film*), Autokar (to rent*), Two Ships, Ovary-Acting (previous film: Night of the Living Dread; full film)

Note: All nominated (and shortlisted) animated films are available on Animation Showcase, available to (free) members of DeathRaceTracking.com

Documentary Shorts

All the Empty Rooms – trailer, info (Netflix)
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud – trailer, info (HBO Max)
Children No More: Were and Are Gone – trailer, info
The Devil Is Busy – trailer, info (HBO Max)
Perfectly a Strangeness – trailer, info

Other shorts mentioned: Bad Hostage, All the Walls Came Down (LA Times Docs), Classroom 4 (PBS, US only), We Were the Scenery (on FestivalScope until Feb 22), Neil Armstrong and the Langholmites, Shanti Rides Shotgun (Vimeo) Confession

Live-Action Shorts

Butcher's Stain – trailer, info
A Friend of Dorothy – trailer, info (Disney+)
Jane Austen's Period Drama – trailer, info, full film* (new!)
The Singers – trailer, info (Netflix, from Feb 13)
Two People Exchanging Saliva – trailer, info, full film*

Other shorts mentioned: Beyond Silence, Dad’s Not Home, Extremist (full film*),

Oscars 2026 – Animated, Documentary, & Live-Action Shorts