2025 Academy Awards and Short Film Category Nominees

By Birgül Tombul

The Academy Awards, which will be given for the 97th time this year, is a highly prestigious award given for artistic and technical achievements in the film industry. Presented annually by the California-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the award creates a wave of excitement in the movie industry every year. This award is given to filmmakers. The awards in various categories are voted by the members of the academy.

A Brief History of the Academy Awards

The Academy Awards were first presented on May 16, 1929 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. In the period immediately after the invention of the camera, the first films began to be produced and the first color film was produced in 1927. This film production was not only an artistic activity, but like a factory, it created a huge economy that affected every sector in one way or another. Intensive labor is involved in producing, distributing and playing these films in movie theaters. After the first color film was produced, the Academy was established and these works were subjected to academic evaluation

In 1931, for the first time, the Oscars opened another category called Best Short Subject Film, and short films were evaluated under a separate category.  In the following years, this category was divided into Best Short Subject Film-Comedy and Best Short Subject Film-Originality. In 1937, the Color category was added to the category, which changed its name frequently. In the 1950s, the Single Reel and Double Reel categories were added and the category was renamed Short Subject Film. In 1974, the category was renamed the Academy Award for Best Short Film. 

The first Short Subject Film-Comedy to win an award was The Music Box. The 1932 Lorel and Hardy short film was directed by James Parrott. In another category, Short Subject Film - Originality, the first award went to the 1931 film Wrestling Swordfish. This documentary film was made by Mack Sennet. 

The Oscars are a great honor for film professionals. They provide an important platform for celebrating, evaluating, and rewarding both big-budget, high-profile Hollywood productions, and independent cinema. In addition to the main categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Actress, the Oscars are awarded in many other categories. Winning these awards can be a major turning point for careers in the movie industry. In addition, the winners of the Oscars have an important place in the history of cinema and many films reach a wide audience thanks to these awards.

The importance of the Oscars is not limited to the movie industry. Every year, millions of people watch the big night on their television screens. The presence of both the winners and the nominees has great repercussions in the world of cinema. The awards presented at the ceremony are not only a showcase of cinema, but also reflect the cultural and social understanding of society. 

Exciting Oscar Figurine

Isn't it all about lifting that little figurine into the air? What a thrill. And would you like to meet this little figurine? I think I can help you with that. These awards, voted for by the members of the Academy, are represented by this statuette called Oscar. The official name of this statue is "Academy Award of Merit", but it is commonly known as Oscar. 

There are various speculations as to why the statuette was given this name. But two stand out. The first is that the famous movie actress Bette Davis, while receiving the award, likened the statuette to her husband Harmon Oscar Nelson. I think this is the most likely possibility. The other is that Margaret Herrick, who worked in the Academy library, named the statuette after her uncle Oscar. But as I said, I find the first possibility more probable. While this name was a nickname used in jest until 1939, this name was officially used after this year. 

The statuette was designed by Cedric Gibbons. In its original form, the design is a film reel with five rings and a knight holding a sword on top of these reels. These rings represent the actor, screenwriter, director, producer and technical crew. In the following period, the first design was abandoned and George Stanley prepared the final version of the statuette. Let me pass this subject with a little information. The 24-carat gold-plated statuette is forbidden to be sold. If anyone wants to sell it, they can sell it to the Academy for one dollar.

Another

Short films are often thought to take a back seat to the Oscars. But this is a big illusion. Because short films are a category that informs us about the creative and courageous productions of the art of cinema. At the Academy Awards, the Oscars give awards in three main categories: best animated short film, best documentary short film and best short fiction film. Short films represent a segment of cinema that is not yet fully commercialized, not yet caught in the predatory gears of capitalism, and usually produced by independent filmmakers. Often, unlike big-budget feature-length films, shorter films are made with less money and delivered to audiences in less time. Apart from the production costs, short films have many other advantages and are particularly sought after by broadcast platforms. Short films always have a niche and elite audience. The depth of the message conveyed in a short time is very interesting and special.

The place of short films in the Oscars is less recognized by the general audience, but it is closely followed by its own special audience. These awards reveal the richness and sophistication of cinema. Short films can cover a subject or a moment better than a feature-length film, experiment with different narrative techniques and offer a breath of fresh air to cinema. From this perspective, it gives us important clues and hope for the future of short films. 

Many famous directors have introduced short films at the beginning of their careers and then moved on to feature-length productions. I think Guillermo del Toro is a good example of this. Sometimes, years later, short films can have a significant cultural impact and take the director from one place to a higher level. 

A short film is usually made by independent producers and small teams. The short filmmaking process usually takes place on smaller budgets and in limited time frames. This forces short filmmakers to come up with more creative solutions. For short film projects to be successful, directors and producers need to be able to work well with limited resources.

Oscar Nominated Short Films

Short films nominated for an Oscar are productions that have achieved great success. Because for these films, which are subject to a very strict voting process, every stage, from script writing to shooting techniques, requires originality.

A nomination is a great honor for a short film, and the cinematic portfolio of directors, actors and producers with these awards gives them the opportunity to promote themselves to a wider audience. 

The short films nominated for this year's Academy Awards are

1. The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent is a 13-minute short film from 2024. Written and directed by Nebojša Slijepčevič, the film is set during the Bosnian War. In the movie, 18 Bosniaks and 1 Croatian passenger traveling on a train are attacked by a paramilitary group called Serbian White Eagles. The events center around Tomo Buzov, the only Croatian passenger on the train. It is very good to see the Bosnian massacre, where a great drama took place, as the subject of a short film. Because issues that cause such social trauma can only be healed with the healing aspect of art.
2. A Lien is an impressive short film written and directed by brothers Sam and David Cutler-Kreutz. A Lien is around 14 minutes long and produced by Adam McKay. It is also from 2023. The story of a young couple and their young daughter's US citizenship process starts with the process of making an appointment. How the Customs and Border Protection Department pushes the family is really worth watching. The way a social problem is handled is also very good. Our short film is very ambitious for the Academy Award
3. Anuja is a 2024 Indian film. Produced by Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai, the film is written and directed by Graves. The story of our 22-minute short film again touches on a social problem. The movie tells the story of 9-year-old Anuja, who works in a factory with her brother in Delhi, India. Child labor is quite common in countries with intense economic problems. It is heartbreaking that these children of school age go to work instead of school and try to contribute to the household economy with their tiny bodies. It is only thanks to short films that it is possible to produce films that deal with such social problems in such large numbers. While only one movie can be made with the cost burden of a feature-length movie, it is much more possible for a short film to be produced in large numbers and make this issue an agenda item.
4. I'm Not A Robot is a science fiction/comedy short film from 2023. 22 minutes long and written and directed by Victoria Warmerdam, the short film is quite entertaining. It tells the interesting events that happen to Lara, who learns that she is a robot thanks to a system update. How will everyone's efforts to convince her that she is a robot turn out? It is a beautiful and entertaining short movie. I don't know whether it will win any awards or not, but it's definitely worth watching. 
5. The Last Ranger is a 28-minute short drama. It was directed by Cindy Lee and written by David S. Lee, Darwin Shaw and Will Hawkes. It is a South African movie. The plot of our short film is quite interesting. While his friend, the last ranger of the Amakhala Game Reserve, is introducing Litha to the reserve, they are attacked by poachers. While trying to protect the rhinos, they find themselves in the middle of a very interesting situation. Poaching and endangered animals should always be on our agenda. Because we humans are not the only ones living in the world. On the contrary, our existence depends on the protection of natural life. 

Social and Cultural Reflections of Short Films at the Academy Awards

Short films, though usually shorter in length, can have a huge social and cultural impact. When we look at the Oscars, the short films on the nomination list deal with social events or social problems around the world. They can also offer important and lasting solutions. It seems that these films can be important agenda items not only for moviegoers, but also for social media and the news world.

 Short films use the impressive power of art to convey social problems. The visuals are supported by music and make the viewer empathize. It conveys the problem directly without prolonging it and without bending or dominating it. From time to time, they also offer solutions.

Short films that are nominated for Oscars often make a big impact by tackling such important social issues. For example, a short film about the environment can inspire a major global environmental movement. Another short film can pave the way for a social movement to fight racism and irregular migration. Short films, even though they are often made on a small budget, convey deep and powerful messages. This is why it is so important to support short films at the Oscars.

Oscars and Short Films: What's Next?

The future of short films at the Oscars is directly related to the future of cinema. Today, with the rise of digital platforms, short films are reaching a wider audience. Platforms such as YouTube, Cineshort, etc. offer a global audience for short filmmakers. In this case, short films are becoming more popular and it is likely that in the future, the Oscars will give more attention to this field.

On the other hand, it is possible to say that the Oscars may change along with the future of cinema. Short films are spreading faster with the power of digital platforms and social media, and this shows that they can be more integrated into the evolving structure of cinema. In the future, we can say that the short film branch of the Oscar awards will perhaps have a greater importance. Because short films will become more accessible and watchable with the developments. This, in turn, will allow more producers to opt for short films and for these films to be seen by a wider audience.

A Few Examples of Oscar-winning Short Films

Our first movie, A Concerto is A Conversation, is a wonderful documentary. A slice of the life of accomplished composer Kris Bowers and his grandfather is beautifully and movingly told. His grandfather is ill and Kris, his grandson, is there to spend more time with his grandfather and listen to his memories. Grandpa faced racism and discrimination at a very young age. When he was a little older, he immediately moved to another region and built a life there. He overcame difficulties with his children and grandchildren and was a close follower of their achievements. In fact, at one point in the documentary, the grandfather says, "Witnessing the success of my children and grandchildren is the glory of my life." Honestly, this statement impressed me a lot. Another interesting part for me is that even though his grandson is a very successful and award-winning composer, the impact of racism is seen even in him. He questions "Am I worthy of this place?". And his grandfather's answer is very beautiful: "If you weren't worthy, you wouldn't have gotten there." I think every single minute is worth watching and giving the movie a high score. I definitely recommend the movie to everyone.

Another Oscar-winning movie, The Bigger Picture. The movie is a wonderful animated drama. Two brothers, our protagonists, take care of their elderly and sick mother. One of them is more responsible and is overwhelmed by this heavy responsibility. The other brother is more reckless and sometimes exploits his brother's labor. One day things take a turn for the worse, and in the end it comes down to an examination of conscience. The movie is quite beautiful and impressive. I think it has a lot of messages for both parents and children. I would definitely recommend you to watch it.

Chez Moi is a wonderful Oscar-winning animation. Our hero's mother has brought home a stepfather who is nothing like them. Meeting him is both frightening and annoying. There is no dialog in the movie, but we hear little Hugo's sighs of boredom. In the inner world of the child who experiences such a situation, the way he perceives the event is very well conveyed to us. We also clearly see the difficulties of the mother and the new father in this situation. You even want to hug and comfort little Hugo as you watch him. 

Cradle, another Oscar-winning short film, is a great drama. Our hero is a disabled soldier who lost his arms in the war. He has a newborn baby and is suffering both physically and psychologically. His wife is his biggest supporter, but can he overcome this? The movie beautifully conveys the cold and ugly face of war. Defeat and defeat are not just words. It's about the real lives of real people and the way these lives are sometimes extinguished for nothing or for preventable problems. Not to mention the pain left behind. No matter how sacred we consider this mission, I think human life is the most sacred thing that needs to be protected. Another aspect of the subject covered in the film is the fact that people who will spend the rest of their lives with disabilities, whether acquired or congenital, will not be well with only medical rehabilitation. The need for vocational and social rehabilitation in addition to medical rehabilitation is very well handled. In this way, exclusion and discrimination can be prevented, and people can integrate themselves better. I was very impressed by the movie and I highly recommend you to watch it.

The last Oscar-winning short film I would recommend is Balance, a beautiful animation with a very deep meaning.  It talks about the importance of that state of balance within us that we often don't realize. How sometimes our inner conflicts, ambitions, jealousy can throw us off balance and drag us into a big mess. Another point he makes us think about is our state of balance in social life. After all, you cannot live on a balance in society without taking another individual into account. Your decisions or wishes cannot always be important only on an individual basis. It is also necessary to think about the other. This is a necessity of living together. The world is built on communication and the balance in communication. A little bit of you, a little bit of me. How beautifully he showed us how our selfish behavior can upset the balances in society. There is no dialog in the movie, but our short animation has told us more than a lot of speeches can tell. I highly recommend you to watch it. It is definitely the power of animation that it deals with this subject that we need to think deeply about in a very short time and that it can convey the message and emotion it wants to give in such intensity.

Conclusion

The Oscars play an important role in the world of cinema, are eagerly awaited and have a decisive role in the industry. Short films are an important category within these awards. Short films represent creativity, productivity and originality in cinema. The short film categories at the Oscars usually include films made by independent producers, collective submissions and examples of individual cinemas. In the future, with the rise of digital media, short films may be more recognized and the Oscars may give more importance to this category. We can say that the future of cinema will continue to be shaped by short films. I wish success to all the films in the Oscar 2025 nominated Short Film Category. May the short film always exist in our lives!