Roadside Attractions will distribute the 98th Oscar Nominated Shorts, presented by acclaimed filmmaker, writer, and actor Taika Waititi, exclusively in theaters in the U.S. and Canada on February 20, 2026.

The program features three feature-length theatrical presentations, one for each Academy Award Short Film category—Animated, Documentary, and Live Action—showcasing outstanding short films from around the world.

Oscar Nominated Shorts Program offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience these celebrated works on the big screen ahead of the Oscars. Honoring short films as a distinct art form, Roadside Attractions will support the program as a must-see theatrical event, uniting film lovers and the global filmmaking community in a shared cinematic experience.

Oscar Nominated Short Films 2026: ANIMATED

Program Includes All 5 Nominated Shorts:

Butterfly – Florence Miailhe, 15 min., France

In the sea, a man swims. As he does, memories come to the surface. From his early childhood to his life as a man, all his memories are linked to water. Some are happy, some glorious, some traumatic. This story will be that of his last swim. It will take us from the source to the river – from the waters of childhood pools to those of swimming pools – from a North African country to the shores of the Mediterranean – from Olympic stadiums to water retention basins – from concentration camps to the dream beaches of Reunion.

Forevergreen – Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears, 13 min., United States

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.

The Girl Who Cried Pearls – Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, 17 min., Canada

In Montreal, at the dawn of the 20th century, a poor boy falls in love with a girl whose sorrow turns into pearls. He sells them to a ruthless pawnbroker, who hungers for more. Tempted by greed, the boy must choose between love and fortune. The choice could damn his soul. From the Oscar-nominated team of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (Madame Tutli-Putli), this meticulously crafted film is a testament to the magic of stop-motion animation. With handmade puppets, mesmerizing narration by Colm Feore and a haunting score by Patrick Watson, The Girl Who Cried Pearls is a timeless parable of desire, deception and the price of innocence.

Retirement Plan – John Kelly, 7 min., Ireland

Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) lays out a beautiful life for himself in his retirement plan. He will pursue his curiosities, challenge his limiting beliefs, embrace fear, beauty, even the complexities of wine culture. Ray will check off every box on every list for every interest he ever even half-thought about. He will discover what he loves (Italian red wine), what he hates (camping). He will grow and learn and change rapidly. It’s beautiful and it’s messy and achingly relatable. But Ray is forgetting something. The one thing he treats as flippantly disposable will be the single most rapidly depleting resource of his future self. His healthy-ish, agile enough 40-something-year-old body. Also, actual retirement time is not endless, but guaranteed to be finite.

The Three Sisters – Konstantin Bronzit, 14 min, Israel/Cyprus

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.

And the Additional Shortlisted Short:

Éiru – Giovanna Ferrari, 13 min., Ireland

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.

IMPORTANT: Some films in this program include some disturbing and mature content and may not be suitable for very young children.

The 98th Oscar Nominated Shorts is presented by Roadside Attractions and is not a release presented by, sponsored by or endorsed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy has licensed Roadside Attractions the right to use the Oscar trade name in connection with such release.