Breaking Down The 2026 Best Animated Short Oscar Nominees (And Where To See Them)!

Every year, the Short Film categories at the Academy Awards highlight projects that often receive far less mainstream attention than feature-length nominees. This is especially true for animated shorts. Animation is an entire subsection of film, having great intersection with other visual arts like sculpting or drawing, yet still does not receive as much attention as they deserve. This year's nominees for Best Animated Short Film demonstrate how varied animation techniques can be used to explore themes ranging from environmentalism and siblinghood to trauma and loneliness. Most of these films are being screened from now until the Oscars in select theaters all across the country, and some of them are available on YouTube. Let's get into it!

1. "The Three Sisters"

This film follows three sisters living isolated lives in separate houses on a small island, who are disrupted when circumstances force them to rent out one of the houses. The story is humorous and portrays sibling rivalry while exploring themes of loneliness and companionship. The technique used was classic 2D hand-drawn animation with minimal dialogue and exaggerated physical humor. (In select theaters)

2. "Forevergreen"

An orphaned bear cub forms an unlikely bond with a fatherly evergreen tree but finds danger when he is tempted to eat trash left behind by humans. The film has no dialogue and explores the theme of the consequences of human impact on wildlife. The artists used a unique technique that they created and named the "wobble", combining wood carving with CG animation. (Stream on YouTube)

3. "The Girl Who Cried Pearls"

A girl’s sorrow literally produces pearls whenever she cries. A boy falls in love and tries to help her survive by selling the pearls, but greed overtakes him when a pawnbroker demands more. This is a stop-motion film, and its animation technique relies on handcrafted puppets and miniature sets as well as achieving some special effects using invisible ink and UV lights. (In select theaters)

4. "Butterfly"

Inspired by real life, this film tells the story of Olympic swimmer and Holocaust survivor Alfred Nakache. As he swims in the sea, memories from his past emerge, recounting both the joyful and the traumatic moments of his life. The animation used an oil painting technique, painting multiple layers on both canvas and glass to create the images we see on screen. (Stream on YouTube)

5. "Retirement Plan"

Ray imagines everything he hopes to do once he finally retires, from adventurous travel to simple hobbies he never had time for. This film reflects on aging, mortality, and the uncertainty of whether dreams have enough time to come true. It invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences and desires. The film uses simplistic 2D art that was digitally animated.

See which film takes home the Oscar this Sunday night (March 15) on ABC!