The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially unveiled the shortlist for the 97th Oscars, marking a significant milestone in the awards season. This announcement serves as a precursor to the final nominations, offering a glimpse into the films that are currently leading the charge in various categories. Among the standout contenders are Netflix’s highly anticipated film Emilia Pérez and Universal Pictures’ musical adaptation Wicked, both of which have garnered significant attention and acclaim.
The shortlist encompasses ten categories, including animated short film, documentary feature, documentary short, international feature, live action short, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song, sound, and visual effects. This preliminary voting stage is akin to mid-term evaluations for the films vying for Oscar glory.
Oscar voting to determine the nominees across all 23 categories is set to commence on Wednesday, January 8, and will conclude on Sunday, January 12. The highly anticipated nominations announcement will take place on Friday, January 17, setting the stage for the grand ceremony.
Documentary Feature Film
A total of 15 films have advanced in the Documentary Feature Film category for this year’s Academy Awards. This category saw 169 films eligible for consideration, with members of the Documentary Branch casting their votes to determine the shortlist and subsequent nominees. The films that made the shortlist are:
- The Bibi Files
- Black Box Diaries
- Dahomey
- Daughters
- Eno
- Frida
- Hollywoodgate
- No Other Land
- Porcelain War
- Queendom
- The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
- Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
- Sugarcane
- Union
- Will & Harper
Documentary Short Film
In the Documentary Short Film category, 15 films have also advanced, with 104 films qualifying for consideration. Similar to the feature category, members of the Documentary Branch are responsible for voting on the shortlist and nominees. The shortlisted films include:
- Chasing Roo
- Death by Numbers
- Eternal Father
- I Am Ready, Warden
- Incident
- Instruments of a Beating Heart
- Keeper
- Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World
- Once upon a Time in Ukraine
- The Only Girl in the Orchestra
- Planetwalker
- The Quilters
- Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr
- A Swim Lesson
- Until He’s Back
International Feature Film
The International Feature Film category has also seen 15 films advance to the next voting round. This year, films from 85 countries and regions were eligible, showcasing a diverse array of cinematic storytelling. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in this preliminary voting round, provided they met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote.
This shortlist serves as an exciting indicator of the films that may ultimately be nominated for the prestigious awards, reflecting the rich tapestry of global cinema and the creative talents behind these compelling narratives. As the Oscar ceremony approaches, anticipation builds around which films will secure their place among the nominees and ultimately contend for the coveted golden statuettes.
With the Oscars just around the corner, the spotlight is set to shine brightly on the film industry, celebrating exceptional storytelling and artistic achievements from the past year. The coming weeks will undoubtedly bring further developments and updates as the nominations are finalized and the excitement of awards season continues to unfold.
