97th Oscars Shortlists Listed in 10 Categories

Everything We Know So Far About The Nominations

The 2025 Oscars are upon us, and the Academy has announced its shortlists in 10 categories. But did your favorite film make it into any of these categories?

From Emilia Pérez to Wild Robot, this time around, just like every year, the Academy has recognized raw talent. For more information on the shortlists, keep reading.

Documentary Feature Film

This category showcases a diverse range of documentary films, each equally better than the other. On top of the list, we’ve got The Bibi Files, accompanied by Black Box Diaries, Dahomey, Daughters, Eno, and Frida.

Hollywoodgate, No Other Land, Porcelain War, Queendom, and The Remarkable Life of Ibelin are also on the list. Documentaries such as Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, Sugarcane, Union, and Will & Harper are also among the 15 contenders.

Documentary Short Film

Films like Incident and Keeper have done a great job of portraying a moving narrative in a concise format. Chasing Roo, Death by Numbers, Eternal Father, I am Ready, Warden, and Planetwalker are some of the several films nominated.

In the nomination list, you’ll also find Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World, Once Upon a Time in Ukraine, The Only Girl in the Orchestra, The Quilters, Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr, A Swim Lesson, and Until He’s Back. These short films are a reminder that for a movie to be impactful, it doesn’t have to be lengthy.

International Feature Film

This category highlights the richness and diversity of global cinema, with a total of 15 films making it to the list. (Brazil) I’m Still Here, (Canada) Universal Language, ( Czech Republic) Waves, (Denmark) The Girl with the Needle, (France) Emilia Pérez, and (Germany) The Seed of the Sacred Fig have emerged as strong contenders.

From Iceland, we’ve got Touch, while Ireland is on the list for Kneecap. Vermiglio (Italy), Flow (Latvia), Armad (Norway), From Ground Zero (Palestine), Dahomey (Senegal), How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand), and Santosh (United Kingdom).

Makeup and Hairstyling

Characters in a movie need visual transformation to fit their role perfectly, and the Academy Awards have shortlisted 15 contenders who have had the best transformations. On top of the list, we’ve got The Apprentice, followed by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, A Different Man, and Dune: Part Two.

Emilia Pérez, Maria, Nosferatu, The Substance, Waltzing with Brando, and Wicked have also made it to the list. These films are evidence of the fact that makeup and hairstyling can make or break the game.

Music (Original Score)

Music, without a doubt, plays a great role in taking the emotional depth and storytelling up a notch. And for the Academy Awards, we’ve got Alien: Romulus, Babygirl, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Blink Twice, Blitz, The Brutalist, Challengers, Conclave, Emilia Pérez, and The Fire Inside.

But it doesn’t end here as the list also includes Gladiator II, Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1, Inside Out 2, Nosferatu, The Room Next Door, Sing Sing, The Six Triple Eight, Wicked, The Wild Robot, and Young Woman and the Sea. The category highlights only the best, and rightfully so.

Music (Original Song)

The power of lyrics and melodies can make a film hit or miss. However, “Winter Coat” from Blitz, “Compress/Repress” from Challengers, “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late, “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez, “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez, and “Sick in the Head” from Kneecap were a hit for sure.

“Beyond” (Moana 2), “Tell Me It’s You” (Mufasa: The Lion King), “Piece by Piece” (Piece by Piece), “Like a Bird” (Sing Sing), “The Journey” (The Six Triple Eight), “Out of Oklahoma” (Twisters), “Kiss the Sky” (The Wild Robot), and “Harper and Will Go West” (Will & Harper) have also been shortlisted.

Animated Short Film

Creative excellence in animation is being recognized by the Academy Awards. The shortlisted contenders include Au Revoir Mon Monde, A Bear Named Wojtek, Beautiful Men, Bottle George,
A Crab in the Pool, In the Shadow of the Cypress, Magic Candies, and Maybe Elephants.

Me, Origami, Percebes, The 21, Wander to Wonder, The Wild-Tempered Clavier, and Yuck! are also on the list. These nominations portray the fact that there’s a lot of potential in animated storytelling.

Live Action Short Film

The power of storytelling demonstrated in a short run-time is a skill not every film aces. However, Anuja, Clodagh, The Compatriot, Crust, Dovecote, Edge of Space, The Ice Cream Man, and I’m Not a Robot did a great job.

Similarly, The Last Ranger, A Lien, The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, The Masterpiece, An Orange from Jaffa, Paris 70, and Room Taken portray gripping tales and moving storylines. These live-action shorts are a testament to the talent of filmmakers around the world.

Sound

Sound mixing and design make up an integral part of every movie. The movies that did a great job in this category are Alien: Romulus, Blitz, A Complete Unknown, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Dune: Part Two.

Emilia Pérez, Gladiator II, Joker: Folie à Deux, Wicked, and The Wild Robot have also done a great job of using sound effects to further amplify their storytelling. These films demonstrate the critical role sounds play in movies.

Visual Effects

Technology has changed the way films are made, and this includes bringing extraordinary worlds and creatures to life on screen. For the Academy Awards, we’ve got Alien: Romulus, Better Man, Civil War, Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune: Part Two, and Gladiator II.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Mufasa: The Lion King, Twisters, and Wicked have pushed the boundaries of visual storytelling. These nominations showcase the collaboration between artists and technologists.

Emilia Pérez Dominates

For these 10 categories, Emilia Pérez seems to be leading the pack with a towering six mentions. The movie is missing from the only possible category of Visual effects.

This film, directed by Jacques Audiard, has taken the industry by storm. And it is probably going to take most of the awards back home.

Wicked in the Runner-Up Spot

Also seen leading the pack, but at the second place, is Wicked. It should be noted that Wicked couldn’t possibly be nominated for most of the categories because its songs weren’t original.

It could be nominated for Makeup and Hair, Score, Sound, and Visual Effects, and we found it amongst the list for these categories. On its success, Wicked has dethroned Mamma Mia as the biggest global Broadway adaption.

Newcomers

This year’s Oscars shortlists include several aspiring candidates. A new wave of creative talent, with several entries in different categories, can be seen.

These newcomers demonstrate the potential the aspiring talent has to change the game. Spanning multiple categories, this fresh talent signals the future of filmmaking, and it’s looking bright.

The Road to the Oscars

With the shortlists announced, excitement is building up as the Academy prepares to announce the final nominations for the 97th Oscars. The nominations are set to be announced on Friday, January 19.

Regarding awards, the Golden Globes are set to take place in the coming days. For more information on “Hollywood’s Party of the Year,” check out 2025 Golden Globes: Inside the Glamorous Night.

What’s Next

Just like every year, the Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Airing live on ABC, the award will be handed out on Sunday, March 2.

Conan O’Brien is set to host the 97th Oscars.

Did you know Denzel Washington gave up on the Oscars? For more details, check out Why Denzel Gave Up Chasing Oscars for Good.

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