OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS 2025: ANIMATION

The 2025 Oscars will get Animated Shortly…

The organization SHORTS (home of ShortsTV) has brought this year’s batch of 2025’s Oscar nominated Live Action, Documentary, and Animated Short Films to movie theaters.  Check your local listings to see if and when the Showcases will be playing. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: https://shorts.tv/theoscarshorts/.

All five nominees for Best Animated Short Film are reviewed here by Paul Hibbard.  Get an edge in your Oscar pool, and more importantly, be informed about some solid, if short, cinema that is being celebrated:

Beautiful Men

DIRECTOR: NICOLAS KEPPENS / FRANCE, BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS / 18 MINUTES

“Beautiful Men” offers truly gorgeous stop-motion animation that beautifully captures the awkwardness and vulnerability of its characters, but beneath its impressive visuals, it ultimately feels somewhat hollow. The story, centered around three brothers traveling to Istanbul for hair transplants, sets up intriguing themes of insecurity and brotherhood, yet never quite dives deep enough to resonate emotionally. While visually impressive, the film seems content to skim the surface, leaving its potential depth unexplored. Beautifully made, but sadly lacking in lasting impact.

In the Shadow of the Cypress

“In the Shadow of the Cypress” is a beautiful, minimalistic, and tragically heartfelt animated short that tells a deeply human story through quiet moments and striking visuals. With its delicate hand-drawn style and absence of dialogue, the film speaks volumes about grief, isolation, and the weight of the past. As a former sea captain and his daughter struggle to save a stranded whale, their shared purpose forces them to confront their own emotional wounds, turning an act of compassion into a journey of healing. Poignant and meditative, it lingers long after its brief runtime, a reminder of the silent battles we fight within ourselves.

Yuck!

DIRECTOR: LOÏC ESPUCHE / FRANCE / 13 MINUTES

Yuck!” is a cute and lighthearted coming-of-age short about the moment a kid realizes they actually want the very thing they used to mock. Watching Leo go from gleefully cringing at kissing to secretly longing for it himself is both amusing and relatable, capturing that awkward transition between childhood innocence and budding curiosity. The animation is simple but effective, and while it doesn’t break new ground, it delivers its message with charm and sincerity. A sweet little film about growing up and embracing the things you once found gross.

Magic Candies

DIRECTOR: DAISUKE NISHIO / JAPAN / 21 MINUTES

“Magic Candies” is an adorable, if slight, little fable about a kid who eats some enchanted sweets and suddenly hears the thoughts of those around him—though let’s be honest, those “candies” are definitely just drugs. The film has a charming, soft-edged animation style that perfectly complements its gentle sense of empathy, as it nudges the audience toward understanding the unspoken emotions of others. It may not be the most substantial short, but it’s sweet in both senses of the word, delivering a simple but heartfelt message with just the right amount of whimsy.

Wander to Wonder

DIRECTOR: NINA GANTZ / NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, FRANCE / 13 MINUTES

This short centers on Mary, Billybud, and Fumbleton, three tiny human performers from a beloved 1980s children’s television show, who are left to fend for themselves in the studio after the sudden death of their creator and host, Uncle Gilly. I’m actually incredibly surprised this was nominated, as it’s far too bizarre for what the Academy usually goes for.  But it’s strange beautiful weirdness is what makes it so wonderful.