2026 Oscar Nominated Short Films: Live Action

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!

Butcher’s Stain / Samir, a Palestinian butcher working at an Israeli supermarket, is accused of tearing down the Israeli hostage posters in the break room. Samir sets out to prove his innocence in order to keep his job he desperately needs. (Dir. by Meyer Levinson-Blount, 2025, Israel, 25 mins., Not Rated)

A Friend of Dorothy / Dorothy (BAFTA-winner Miriam Margolyes) is a lonely widow whose body is failing, but her mind remains as bright as ever. When 17-year-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) accidentally kicks his football into her garden, he upends Dorothy’s daily routine of pills, prunes and crosswords, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. Despite being worlds apart in every way, the two come to find they have more in common than they could ever imagine. (Dir. by Lee Knight, 2025, UK, 21 mins., Not Rated)

Jane Austen’s Period Drama / In this satire on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, set in England, 1813, Miss Estrogenia “Essy” Talbot gets her period during a long-awaited marriage proposal. Mr. Dickley mistakes the blood for an injury and rushes off to fetch a doctor. While he’s gone, Essy’s sisters plead with her not to imperil her engagement by telling Mr. Dickley the truth. But when he returns, Essy barrels ahead, sharing every little bloody detail. (Dir. by Steve Pinder and Julia Aks, 2025, USA, 12 mins., Not Rated)

The Singers / The Singers is a short film adaptation of a 19th-century short story written by Ivan Turgenev, in which a lowly pub full of downtrodden patrons connect unexpectedly through an impromptu sing-off. With a cast comprised of viral video singing talents and other one-of-a-kind personalities from the unlikeliest corners of the internet, the film is an experimental docu-musical hybrid crafted like an improvisational play. (Dir. by Sam A. Davis, 2025, USA, 18 mins., Not Rated)

Two People Exchanging Saliva / Two People Exchanging Saliva explores a dystopian world where kissing is punishable by death. Executive produced by Isabelle Huppert & Julianne Moore. (Dir. by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh, 2025, France/USA, 36 mins., Not Rated / Rated R equivalent)

TOTAL PROGRAM RUNNING TIME: 112 MINUTES