The 2026 Oscar-nominated Short Films are available in theaters. This is the only opportunity for audiences to watch all of the short film nominees in theaters before the 98th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 15, 2024. Each nominee is released in one of three distinct feature-length compilations according to their category of nomination: Live Action, Animation, or Documentary.
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All the Empty Rooms (directors Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones; USA; 33 mins) – Journalist Steve Hartman built his career on heart-warming stories and feel-good pieces. In 1997, when he was called to report on a school shooting, he knew he could not spin that story in the same joyful way he usually did. Since then, Hartman has been continually reporting on school shootings as the number have increased from 17 a year to 132 a year. Seven years ago, he began a personal project where he began documenting the rooms of the child victims killed in these school shootings. This documentary follows Hartman and his photographer Lou Bopp as they connect with the families of the victims and as they document the last three rooms for this project.
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud (directors Craig Renaud and Juan Arredondo; USA; 37 mins) – Throughout his important career, photojournalist Brent Renaud traveled with his camera to show the world the devastation of war. And while on assignment in Ukraine in March 2022, Brent and his colleague and friend Juan Arredondo were ambushed by Russian soldiers and shot. Juan survived his injuries, but Brent did not. Craig Renaud, Brent’s brother, knew Brent would want this story of the atrocities of war told. So Craig and Juan Arredondo tell the story of Brent’s incredible life and horrific death through powerful footage and personal stories.
Children No More: “Were and Are Gone” (directors Hilla Medalia and Sheila Nevins; Israel; 36 mins) – The current phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, 2023. Since the beginning of this recent onslaught of attacks almost 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza. This film explores the silent vigils that take place in Tel Aviv, Israel to protest and remind those on the other side of this conflict who these victims are. The posters these activists hold feature the photos and the names of these children marked with the epitaphs, “was and is no more” and “were and are no more.” And while those who take part in these protest vigils participate in silence, they face vocal and sometimes violent opposition.
The Devil Is Busy (directors Christalyn Hampton and Geeta Gandbhir; USA; 31 mins) – This documentary follows a day in the operations of a women’s reproductive health clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. The Head of Security, Call Center Operator, Sonogram Technician, and the Doctor share their experiences, both personal and professional, as they work to help their patients navigate the delicate intricacies and restrictiveness of the state’s six-week abortion ban. Each day this team faces protestors and possible violence to ensure these women receive the best care possible.
Perfectly a Strangeness director Alison McAlpine; Canada; 17 mins) – In this exploration of nature encountering technology, three desert donkeys discover what appears to be an abandoned observatory. The trio explore the outside, their hoofs and breaths providing the soundscape. While inside, the scientific instruments continue to whir and operate without human presence.
While all of these nominees made an impact on me, I think that Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud will take home the golden statue. Both Renaud and Arredondo tell a very complex story in a short amount of time, and they make every moment count. But regardless if they win or not, they should be proud of how they honored their fallen brother and colleague.
