2026 Oscar Nominated Short Films: Animated

This program is not rated, but is PG equivalent, and may not be suitable for very young children.

Don’t miss your chance to experience this year’s best short films the way they were meant to be seen – on the big screen – before the 98th Annual Academy Awards telecast on Sunday, March 15, 2025! Predict the winners and you could win free passes to The Loft Cinema!

“These programs treat movie-lovers to an unpredictable batch of films from all over the world, with a wide variety of themes, tones and textures.” – Collin Souter, RogerEbert.com

Once again, The Loft Cinema is proud to present this nationally-touring program highlighting all of the Live Action Short Films, Animated Short Films and Documentary Short Films that received Academy Award nominations this past year. The 2065 Oscar Nominated Short Films program offers viewers the rare opportunity to experience the year’s best short films from across the globe, collected together in this special cinematic showcase. At the screenings, pick up an “Oscar Shorts Prediction” ballot in the lobby, check off your favorite film, and all those who correctly guess the winner (the winning films will be announced at the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 15) will be entered into a drawing for free movie passes to The Loft! Pass winners will be notified the week following the Oscar telecast. Don’t miss your golden opportunity to experience all of this year’s Oscar nominated short films at The Loft Cinema!

Butterfly / A poignant retelling of Olympic swimmer Alfred Nakache’s life, from his rise to fame to surviving Auschwitz, presented as memories flashing back during his final swim. (Dir. by Florence Miailhe, 2025, France, 15 mins., Not Rated)

Forevergreen / A joyful adventure featuring an orphaned bear cub and a fatherly tree turns serious when the cub is tempted by the allure of easy food. Fire and deadly danger ensue as the cub is left bereft of hope and on the verge of a ruinous end, until the sacrificial love of the tree falls into place. (Dir. by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears, 2025, USA, 13 mins., Not Rated)

The Girl Who Cried Pearls / A haunting fable about a girl overwhelmed by sorrow, the boy who loves her, and how greed leads good hearts to wicked deeds. (Dir. by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski, 2025, Canada, 17 mins., Not Rated)

Retirement Plan / Retirement Plan tells the story of Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) as he fantasizes about everything he’d love to do in retirement, once he finally has the “time.” (Dir. by John Kelly, 2025, Ireland, 7 mins., Not Rated)

The Three Sisters / Three sisters live a lonely life on an isolated island, each in their own small house. One day, circumstances develop in such a way that they are forced to rent out one of the houses. (Dir. by Konstantin Bronzit, 2025, Israel/Cyprus, 14 mins., Not Rated)

Additional shortlisted title:

Éiru / When the water mysteriously disappears from the well in a warrior clan’s village, an intrepid child descends into the belly of the earth to retrieve it. Éiru is the story of a child in search of a challenge, and a goddess in search of a champion. (Dir. by Giovanna Ferrari, 2025, Ireland, 13 mins., Not Rated / Rated PG equivalent)

TOTAL PROGRAM RUNNING TIME: 80 MINUTES