Shortlists Unveiled For 98th Academy Awards, Including Animated Short And VFX Categories

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced shortlists in 12 categories for the 98th Academy Awards, including best animated short film and best visual effects.

Last year, animated titles were shortlisted in a seemingly record seven categories; this year, that number dropped to two, three if we count VFX. The biggest snub in that regard seems to be that Netflix and Sony’s KPop Demon Hunters only got a best song shortlist, and no love for its original score. It also feels like Endless Cookie was one of the 15 best documentaries released over the past year, but perhaps we’re not entirely unbiased in that assessment.

Among the animated shorts, it’s impossible to say if any films got snubbed. The category is among the most diverse and hard to predict of any that the Academy hosts each year. We are proud to say, however, that we profiled 13 of the 15 shorts on this year’s shortlist. The profiles are linked in the list below.

Oscar nominations voting begins on January 12 and concludes on January 16. Nominees for the 98th Academy Awards will then be announced on January 22.

The Oscars gala will then be held on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and will be televised on ABC in the U.S. and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

One hundred thirteen films qualified in the category, up massively from last year’s 88. Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch were invited to vote in the preliminary round and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to participate.

In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches can opt in to vote and must view all 15 shortlisted films to do so.

The films, in alphabetical order, are:

Autokar
Butterfly
Cardboard
Éiru
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Hurikán
I Died in Irpin
The Night Boots
Playing God
The Quinta’s Ghost
Retirement Plan
The Shyness of Trees
Snow Bear
The Three Sisters

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Sixty-five songs were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The original songs, along with the film in which they appeared, are listed below in alphabetical order:

“As Alive As You Need Me To Be” from Tron: Ares
“Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless
“Dream As One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash
“Drive” from F1
“Dying To Live” from Billy Idol Should Be Dead
“The Girl In The Bubble” from Wicked: For Good
“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters
“Highest 2 Lowest” from Highest 2 Lowest
“I Lied To You” from Sinners
“Last Time (I Seen The Sun)” from Sinners
“No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good
“Our Love” from The Ballad of Wallis Island
“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me in the Good Light
“Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from Viva Verdi!
“Train Dreams” from Train Dreams

VISUAL EFFECTS

Only ten films get shortlisted in the Visual Effects category, selected by the Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with artists from each of the shortlisted films on January 10. Visual Effects Branch members will vote to determine the nominees.

The films, in alphabetical order, are:

Avatar: Fire and Ash
The Electric State
F1
Frankenstein
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Superman
Tron: Ares
Wicked: For Good