Oscar shortlists set international and documentary frontrunners

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled its shortlists for the international and documentary Oscars as well as eight other categories. 

Widely tipped entries including Japan’s Drive My Car, Iran’s A Hero, Denmark’s Flee and Finland’s Compartment No 6 all made the international shortlist, but French Palme d’Or winner Titane is a surprise omission. Also absent from the list are Costa Rica’s Clara Sola, Chad’s Lingui, The Sacred Bonds and Russia’s Unclenching The Fists. Ten of the 15 titles on the international list are from Europe and three are from Asia. 

The documentary feature shortlist includes expected contenders Julia, The Rescue, Flee, The First Wave and two of the year’s most acclaimed music-related films, Summer Of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) and The Velvet Underground. 

Another music film, Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, also made the list, but documentaries including Becoming Cousteau, Val, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain and The Sparks Brothers did not. 

Oscar nomination voting begins on January 27 and ends on February 1, with nominations to be announced on February 8. The Oscar awards ceremony is set for March 27. 

The shortlists in full:

International feature film (15)

Films from 92 countries were eligible in the category. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote. 

In the nominations round, members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.

• Austria, Great Freedom
• Belgium, Playground
• Bhutan, Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom
• Denmark, Flee
• Finland, Compartment No. 6
• Germany, I’m Your Man
• Iceland, Lamb
• Iran, A Hero
• Italy, The Hand of God
• Japan, Drive My Car
• Kosovo, Hive
• Mexico, Prayers For The Stolen
• Norway, The Worst Person In The World
• Panama, Plaza Catedral
• Spain, The Good Boss

Documentary feature (15)

One hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible in the category. Documentary branch members vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

• Ascension
• Attica
• Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry
• Faya Dayi
• The First Wave
• Flee
• In The Same Breath
• Julia
• President
• Procession
• The Rescue
• Simple As Water
• Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• The Velvet Underground
• Writing with Fire

Original score (15)

One hundred and thirty-six scores were eligible. Members of the music branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

• Being the Ricardos
• Candyman
• Don’t Look Up
• Dune
• Encanto
• The French Dispatch Of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
• The Green Knight
• The Harder They Fall
• King Richard
• The Last Duel
• No Time to Die
• Parallel Mothers
• The Power Of The Dog
• Spencer
• The Tragedy Of Macbeth

Original song (15) 

Eighty-four songs were eligible. Members of the music branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. 

• “So May We Start?” from Annette
• “Down To Joy” from Belfast
• “Right Where I Belong” from Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road
• “Automatic Woman” from Bruised
• “Dream Girl” from Cinderella
• “Beyond The Shore” from CODA
• “The Anonymous Ones” from Dear Evan Hansen
• “Just Look Up” from Don’t Look Up
• “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto
• “Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days
• “Guns Go Bang” from The Harder They Fall
• “Be Alive” from King Richard
• “No Time To Die” from No Time To Die
• “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from Respect
• “Your Song Saved My Life” from Sing 2 

Visual effects (10)

The visual effects branch executive committee determined the shortlist. All members of the branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on January 29. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final consideration. 

• Black Widow
• Dune
• Eternals
• Free Guy
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• Godzilla Vs Kong
• The Matrix Resurrections
• No Time to Die
• Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home 

Sound (10)

Members of the sound branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. All members of the branch will be invited to view eight-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films beginning January 28. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final consideration.

• Belfast
• Dune
• Last Night in Soho
• The Matrix Resurrections
• No Time To Die
• The Power Of The Dog
• A Quiet Place Part II
• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• tick, tick…Boom!
• West Side Story 

Make-up and hairstyling (10) 

All members of the makeup artists and hairstylists branch will be invited to view seven-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on January 30. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final consideration.

• Coming 2 America
• Cruella
• Cyrano
• Dune
• The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
• House Of Gucci
• Nightmare Alley
• No Time To Die
• The Suicide Squad
• West Side Story 

Documentary short (15)

Eighty-two films qualified in the category. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

• Águilas
• Audible
• A Broken House
• Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis
• Coded: The Hidden Love Of J C Leyendecker
• Day of Rage
• The Facility
• Lead Me Home
• Lynching Postcards: “Token Of A Great Day”
• The Queen Of Basketball
• Sophie & The Baron
• Takeover
• Terror Contagion
• Three Songs For Benazir
• When We Were Bullies

Animated short (15)

Eighty-two films qualified in the category. Members of the short films and feature animation branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

• Affairs Of The Art
• Angakusajaujuq: The Shaman’s Apprentice
• Bad Seeds
• Bestia
• Boxballet
• Flowing Home
• Mum Is Pouring Rain
• The Musician
• Namoo
• Only A Child
• Robin Robin
• Souvenir Souvenir
• Step Into The River
• Us Again
• The Windshield Wiper

Live action short (15)  

One hundred and forty-five films qualified in the category. Members of the short films and feature animation, directors, producers and writers branches vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

• Ala Kachuu - Take and Run
• Censor Of Dreams
• The Criminals
• Distances
• The Dress
• Frimas
• Les Grandes Claques
• The Long Goodbye
• On My Mind
• Please Hold
• Stenofonen
• Tala’vision
• Under The Heavens
• When The Sun Sets
• You’re Dead Helen