Oscar®-Nominated Short Films 2026: Documentary

See the year’s most spectacular short films on the big screen for a limited time with the 2026 Oscar®-Nominated Short Films, presented by acclaimed filmmaker, writer and actor Taika Waititi. With three feature-length programs, one for each Academy Award® Short Film category — Animated, Documentary and Live Action — this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool). The Academy Awards® take place Sunday, March 15.

Best Documentary Short Film

PERFECTLY A STRANGENESS
In the dazzling incandescence of an unknown desert, three donkeys discover an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe. A sensorial, cinematic exploration of what a story can be. DIR Alison McAlpine. Canada, 2024, color, 15 min. No dialogue. NOT RATED

THE DEVIL IS BUSY
At an Atlanta abortion clinic besieged by protesters, the director of operations, Tracy, takes necessary risks to safeguard staff and patients. DIR Christalyn Hampton, Geeta Gandbhir. U.S., 2024, color, 31 min. RATED TV-14

ARMED ONLY WITH A CAMERA: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BRENT RENAUD
After journalist Brent Renaud is killed in Ukraine, his brother completes his final report — shaping a haunting tribute to frontline storytellers who risk everything to illuminate the human cost of war. DIR Craig Renaud, Brent Renaud. U.S., 2025, color, 38 min. RATED TV-MA

ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS
A longtime TV journalist teams up with a photographer to document empty bedrooms of children lost to gun violence, revealing spaces where grief speaks louder than statistics and memory refuses to fade. DIR Joshua Seftel. U.S., 2025, color, 33 min. RATED PG-13

CHILDREN NO MORE: WERE AND ARE GONE
In Tel Aviv, silent vigils mourn Gaza’s children — absent, yet achingly present in large-scale photographs. Defying public scorn to confront a war’s toll, the activists’ quiet protests echo louder than words. DIR Hilla Medalia. Israel, 2025, color, 36 min. In Hebrew with English subtitles. NO RATED

Approx. runtime: 157 min.
Program rating: NOT RATED. Treat as RATED R.

Run Time: 157 Minutes

Opening Date: Friday, February 20, 2026

Genre: Shorts program