Oscar, one of the most highly regarded awards in the film industry and one of the most coveted awards, is one of the biggest highlights of the year. It’s seen as a benchmark of excellence and a recognition of exceptional films. But, not all films are long-form projects, the contenders for the Oscars traditionally being feature-length films; there may be some who are asking, “Is there an Oscar for short films?”
History of the Short Films Category
The category for “short films” at the Oscars has been around for quite some time. Beginning back in 1932, when the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences decided to award a Certificate of Merit for creative achievement in the film industry, there have been 33 categories included in the awards. Out of those, the “Short Films” category has been around since 1934.
The categories for short films have gone through many changes over the years. What started as just a “Short Subjects, Novelty” category, where short films could be entered, has evolved into the full-fledged category that it is today. As of 2020, there are five categories formed based on short films alone: Short Film (Live Action), Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Subject, Student Short Film and Foreign Language Short Film.
The Eligibility Criteria
Not every short film submitted for review as part of the Oscars is eligible for consideration for the award. The criteria for entry are different for each category. The Academy has established certain criteria for each type of film such as runtime of the film, format of the film and other technical factors. Here is a quick look at the eligibility criteria for each of these categories.
Short Film (Live Action)
• Films must not be longer than 40 minutes
• Must be in 16mm, 35mm, or digital format
• Must have been a commercial release for theatrical exhibition
• Must not have language issues
Animated Short Film
• Films must not be longer than 40 minutes
• Must be in 16mm, 35mm, or digital format
• Must have been a commercial release for theatrical exhibition
• Must have an original score
Documentary Short Subject
• Films must not be longer than 40 minutes
• Must be in 16mm, 35mm,or digital format
• Must have been a commercial release for theatrical exhibition
• Must be written by a professional
Student Short Film
• Films must not be longer than 40 minutes
• Must have been produced primarily by students as part of an academic program
• Must have a professional director or producer for the project
Foreign Language Short Film
• Films must not be longer than 40 minutes
• Must not be in English
• Must have been a commercial release for theatrical exhibition
• Must have original content and not be remakes, sequels or adaptations
Nominees and Winners for Best Short Film
Every year, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences receive thousands of applications for the Short Film category from different countries from all across the world. The nominations for the award are done and the winner (or winners) are announced at the same time as the other Award categories during the official Academy Awards ceremony.
Some of the most popular short films that have been nominated and have even won Awards include the following:
• Hotel Chevalier – Short Film (2007)
• The New Tenants – Short Film (2009)
• Hero – Short Film (2015)
• Sing – Animated Short Film (2016)
• The Silent Child – Short Film (2017)
• Skin – Short Film (2018)
• Hair Love – Animated Short Film (2019)
• Two Distant Strangers – Short Film (2020)
So, is there an Oscar for short films? Yes, there is. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have a “Short Films” category for the Oscars that has been around for a very long time. The criteria for each type of film in this category, such as a Short Film (Live Action), Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Subject, Student Short Film and Foreign Language Short Film are all different, and there are a number of highly-recognized short films who have been awarded by the Academy over the years.
