Filmmakers from Ukraine to Ireland pushed formal boundaries this year. Our 39 profiles collect the work that signals where short animation is headed. Across 113 Oscar‑qualified animated shorts contending for this season’s Oscars, only 15 made the Academy’s official shortlist. From Autokar and Butterfly to Snow Bear and The Quinta’s Ghost, underscoring how much artistry exists beyond the list of favorites.
Animated shorts this year come from many parts of the world, and no two feel the same. I Died in Irpin is harsh and direct, shaped by images of war that are hard to ignore. Ireland’s Éiru, by contrast, is quiet and measured, relying on atmosphere rather than dialogue to leave its mark. Seen side by side, these films point to wider creative movements that rarely get full attention during awards season.
Shortlisted titles predictably dominate the conversation, but they do not represent the whole picture. Outside that narrow focus, filmmakers are experimenting freely with style, structure, and tone. Much of the most interesting work is coming from small teams and independent creators, expanding what short animation can look like and how its stories are told.
Films such as Snow Bear, entirely animated by Aaron Blaise over three years, and The Quinta’s Ghost, a Spanish work integrating virtual‑reality inspired visuals. This shows how different kinds of work can be listed within the same category. These shorts traverse themes of memory and conflict between the environment and identity, inviting audiences and Academy voters alike. They look past the shortlist and into the rich diversity of form and narrative that defines the current moment in animated shorts.