<description>&lt;p&gt;Today, voting for the 2026 Oscar shortlists began, lasting all week – these 20 (or, er, 26) Oscar-qualified live-action and animated shorts are all eligible. Whether or not they make the shortlist (some of them will), here&amp;#39;s why you might want to watch – from mermaid folk horror or brutal griffin hunts to gentle tales of the lists we make in life, or coming of age as an immigrant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Letterboxd lists&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://letterboxd.com/illyxia13/list/2026-oscar-qualified-live-action-short-films/page/2/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Eligible live-action shorts&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Filmmakers/comments/1p0h01v/207_films_qualified_for_the_2026_oscar_live/" rel="nofollow"&gt;category analysis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://letterboxd.com/illyxia13/list/2026-oscar-qualified-animated-short-films/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Eligible animated shorts&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/oscarrace/comments/1p2wkuz/i_analyzed_all_113_oscarqualified_animated_short/" rel="nofollow"&gt;category analysis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://letterboxd.com/kenru/list/2025-oscar-documentary-short-films-submissions/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Eligible documentary shorts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Rankings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6klvwgo4DUE" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.twopeopleexchangingsaliva.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuOEEu--j2Y" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;MERCY – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLV9SF1cnsc" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;interview&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.agenciafreak.com/en/peliculas/mercy/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;JANE AUSTEN&amp;#39;S PERIOD DRAMA – &lt;a href="https://deadline.com/2025/12/jane-austen-period-drama-short-film-julia-aks-steve-pinder-interview-1236638676/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;interview&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://janeaustensperioddrama.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;JUST THE USUAL – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/1083890623?fe=vl&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/justtheusual_shortfilm/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;THE PEARL COMB – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/1012432414?fe=vl&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepearlcombfilm/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;PORELESS – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngxfqvCHUIc" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/porelessmovie/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmiDLR3FT54" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_amkqzonSM" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.nfb.ca/distribution/film/the-girl-who-cried-pearls" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;DALY CITY – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/1060691027/2230213ca3?fe=vl&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.nickhartanto.com/dalycity" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2025/11/18/daly-city/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;HURIKÁN – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKY0fysEPGA" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.maurfilm.com/portfolio-items/hurikan_en/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;RETIREMENT PLAN– &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O660kFEm3kY" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.retirementplanfilm.com/welcome" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mqa4zfJdx4" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;TRAPPED – &lt;a href="https://hollywoodtimes.net/film-review-trapped/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;review&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.samck.com/trapped" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;GIGI – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/890249796?fe=vl&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://xbofilms.com/en/gigi-2/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/103493-000-A/gigi/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;* &lt;em&gt;(French or German subtitles only)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;ONE LAST ROUND – &lt;a href="https://mubi.com/nl/films/one-last-round/trailer" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.leagueoffilmmakers.com/kor-adana-explores-digital-immortality-in-one-last-round-at-hollyshorts/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;KOVARTY – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvdJ_Hf_t3U" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://bridgepostworks.com/project/kovarty" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8HsliStKDA" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;SCARS WE LOVE – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_05yXiNN8" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://en.unifrance.org/movie/59155/scars-we-love" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvYbEY8OFH4" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;*&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;(French subtitles only)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;EM &amp;amp; SELMA GO GRIFFIN HUNTING – &lt;a href="https://deadline.com/video/em-selma-go-griffin-hunting-sundance-interview/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;VFX panel&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/emandselmagogriffinhunting/?hl=en" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;THE SECOND TIME AROUND – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxmr_-Gj8bw" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.premium-films.com/catalogue/the-second-time-around" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-second-time-around/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;* (UK only)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;MARCIA AND THE SHARK – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lco5ZgddLzk" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.ferrisfilms.com/4/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=758tGwFDU_U" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;THE SINGERS – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/1052117360?fe=vl&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.thesingersfilm.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;LES BÊTES – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-TycfRX7DU" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://mgranberry.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/1088909783?fe=vl&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;BEYOND SILENCE – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/1143424149" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.premium-films.com/catalogue/beyond-silence" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://cinetree.nl/korte-films/beyond-silence" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;*&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;(Dutch subtitles only)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;HOLY CURSE – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNkYD8pxJA4" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.premium-films.com/catalogue/holy-curse" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z72FCy5wKA" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;full film&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;*&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;MERCENAIRE – &lt;a href="https://vimeo.com/997022642?fe=sh&amp;fl=pl" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://www.h264distribution.com/en/catalog/mercenaire/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;ONE DAY, THIS KID – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDHFGI8XWKU" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://boldlyoriginals.com/projects/one-day-this-kid/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;em&gt;on Kanopy &amp;amp; Criterion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;PLAYING GOD – &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEm8lq-4z_k" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;trailer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://blog.autourdeminuit.com/production/playing-god/?lang=en" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;MUSHROOM DAD – &lt;a href="https://weloveshortfilm.com/2025/08/11/from-tribeca-to-hollyshorts-the-emotional-high-of-michael-yuchen-leis-mushroom-dad/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;review&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt; – &lt;a href="https://risingvoicesfilms.com/film/mushroom-dad/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&lt;u&gt;info&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;*May disappear when shortlists / nominations are announced (or sooner).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contact Us&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Questions or comments? Send emails to: &lt;a href="mailto:lorehounds@thelorehounds.com" rel="nofollow"&gt;lorehounds@thelorehounds.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or, send us a voicemail! You can use the voicemail tool on our website, &lt;a href="https://thelorehounds.com/contact" rel="nofollow"&gt;thelorehounds.com/contact&lt;/a&gt; OR record a note on your smartphone and email it to us at the same address.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Advertising Inquiries: &lt;a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'&gt;https://redcircle.com/brands&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Privacy &amp; Opt-Out: &lt;a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'&gt;https://redcircle.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt;</description>

The Lorehounds

The Lorehounds

2026 Oscar-Qualified Shorts – Top 20 for Lorehounds

DEC 9, 202551 MIN
The Lorehounds

2026 Oscar-Qualified Shorts – Top 20 for Lorehounds

DEC 9, 202551 MIN

Description

Today, voting for the 2026 Oscar shortlists began, lasting all week – these 20 (or, er, 26) Oscar-qualified live-action and animated shorts are all eligible. Whether or not they make the shortlist (some of them will), here's why you might want to watch – from mermaid folk horror or brutal griffin hunts to gentle tales of the lists we make in life, or coming of age as an immigrant.


Letterboxd lists

Eligible live-action shorts – category analysis

Eligible animated shorts – category analysis

Eligible documentary shorts


The Rankings

  1. TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA – trailer – info – full film*
  2. MERCY – interview – info
  3. JANE AUSTEN'S PERIOD DRAMA – interview – info
  4. JUST THE USUAL – trailer – info
  5. THE PEARL COMB – trailer – info
  6. PORELESS – trailer – info – full film*
  7. THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS – trailer – info
  8. DALY CITY – trailer – info – full film*
  9. HURIKÁN – trailer – info
  10. RETIREMENT PLAN– trailer – info – full film*
  11. TRAPPED – review – info
  12. GIGI – trailer – info – full film* (French or German subtitles only)
  13. ONE LAST ROUND – trailer – info
  14. KOVARTY – trailer – info – full film*
  15. SCARS WE LOVE – trailer – info – full film* (French subtitles only)
  16. EM & SELMA GO GRIFFIN HUNTING – VFX panel – info
  17. THE SECOND TIME AROUND – trailer – info – full film* (UK only)
  18. MARCIA AND THE SHARK – trailer – info – full film*
  19. THE SINGERS – trailer – info
  20. LES BÊTES – trailer – info – full film*
  21. BEYOND SILENCE – trailer – info – full film* (Dutch subtitles only)
  22. HOLY CURSE – trailer – info – full film*
  23. MERCENAIRE – trailer – info
  24. ONE DAY, THIS KID – trailer – info – on Kanopy & Criterion
  25. PLAYING GOD – trailer – info
  26. MUSHROOM DAD – review – info


*May disappear when shortlists / nominations are announced (or sooner).


Contact Us

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Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.



Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy