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No Surprises Among This Year’s Animated Feature Nominees As Predictable Front-Runners Dominate
Oscar nominations revealed a risk-averse animated feature lineup, an unpredictable shorts race, and animation again ignored outside its own categories.
#Academy Awards
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Matteo Burani’s Favorite Shot From ‘Playing God’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Featuring a carefully animated fall where a clay figure loses its identity in a state between death and rebirth, the clip embodies the film’s emotional core.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director John Kelly’s Favorite Shot From ‘Retirement Plan’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Kelly shares a playful scene that precipitates a drop in tone, and the one retirement dream that he shares with its protagonist, Ray.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director James A. Castillo’s Favorite Shot From ‘The Quinta’s Ghost’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The turning point scene shows Goya realize that his past and his madness are inescapable, yet he continues painting as the audience watches in helpless silence.
See The First Piece Of Concept Artwork From Each Of This Year’s 15 Oscar Shortlisted Animated Shorts (Exclusive)
We asked the filmmakers of all 15 shortlisted shorts to send us the first piece of artwork they created for their films and to explain what inspired the look.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: ‘The Shyness Of Trees’ Directors On Their Favorite Shot (EXCLUSIVE)
The film’s emotional climax was also one of its most technically challenging, combining a moving camera, animated background, and emotional performance.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Directors Nathan Engelhardt And Jeremy Spears Favorite Shot From ‘Forevergreen’ (EXCLUSIVE)
In two seconds, the film’s heart is revealed as an undeserving adopted prodigal son receives a selfless act of grace, sacrifice, and hope.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Pierre-Luc Granjon’s Favorite Shot From ‘The Night Boots’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The Annecy-winning explains how meticulous pinscreen animation was used to create the woodland adventure’s coziest shot.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Giovanna Ferrari’s Favorite Shot From ‘Éiru’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Split framing, shifting scale, and sound place the audience inside Éiru’s disorientation, collapsing time and space as her torch light fades.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Directors Chris Lavis And Maciek Szczerbowski’s Favorite Shot From ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The give a behind-the-scenes explanation of the pivotal shot where story, music, and performance align to create cinematic “sorcery.”
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Anastasiia Falileieva’s Favorite Shot From ‘I Died In Irpin’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Falileieva talks about building the entire film around this one shot, imagined just two days after she escaped the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Konstantin Bronzit On His Favorite Shot From ‘The Three Sisters’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Bronzit explains why the opening shot from ‘The Three Sisters’ is his favorite, and what he teaches aspiring animators about kicking off a film.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Florence Miailhe’s On Her Favorite Shot From ‘Butterfly’ (EXCLUSIVE)
In a man’s final swim, the aging champion revisits love, joy, and trauma, as water becomes a living passage between memory, loss, and survival.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Sylwia Szkiłądź On Her Favorite Shot From ‘Autokar’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The director describes the film’s Sparrow Lady as a grandmother figure tied to memory and roots, defined by hidden eyes, gentle sadness, and familiar warmth.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director J.P. Vine Shares His Favorite Shot From ‘Cardboard’ (EXCLUSIVE)
In this intimate moment, ‘Cardboard’ uses just a few frames to convey a single father’s sense of loss, softened by a hopeful light at the end of the tunnel.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Jan Saska Shares His Favorite Shot From ‘Hurikán’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The Czech director breaks down perspective, surprise, and setting behind the film’s first reveal, from frozen time to Prague’s iconic skyline.
Oscar Shortlist Interviews: Director Aaron Blaise Shares His Favorite Shot From ‘Snow Bear’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Disney legend Aaron Blaise discusses the emotional centerpiece of his Oscar-shortlisted animated short ‘Snow Bear’ and what the moment means to him.
Five Indie Animated Features, Five Very Different Paths: Welcome To Cartoon Brew’s Awards Season Rogue Roundtable
Directors of ‘Endless Cookie,’ ‘Black Butterflies,’ ‘Boys Go to Jupiter,’ ‘Dog of God,’ and ‘Slide’ discuss their 2025 indie gems.
The Oscars Are Heading To YouTube In 2029
The landmark deal reflects declining TV audiences and a strategic bet on streaming platforms to hopefully future-proof the iconic awards show.
Shortlists Unveiled For 98th Academy Awards, Including Animated Short And VFX Categories
Animation on this year’s shortlists is way down after a banner year in 2025. Only ‘Golden’ from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ appears in a non-dedicated category.