GENERAL SUMMARY: 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

The nominated films:

All the Empy Rooms, Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brett Renaud, The Devils is Busy, Children no More, and Perfectly a Strangeness.

    Documentary films are an important part of cinema. They bring attention to a wide range of subjects, directly from the perspective of the subject and/or those around the subject. The five documentaries selected as nominees in the short film category, at this years Oscars do just that.  Their topics are abortion clinic workers, foreign protesters, war correspondents, documenting the t tragedy families have post school shootings, and the beauty of an isolated desert.  That is a lot to digest in one sitting. 

    The films break down into three categories. One film was subpar (Perfectly a Strangeness), two were good (All the Empy Rooms, Children no More), and two were fantastic (Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brett Renaud, The Devils is Busy).   Out of a field of five, having one  subpar film is not bad, even understandable. However, this is a film competition I expected to be wowed by all five of the nominated movies. 

   They first of the fantastic two films, Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brett Renaud, was a personal movie. Not only did it give insight into the individual it was about, but insight to what it is like being a war correspondent.  The second, of the two incredible shorts, The Devils is Busy, gives multiple perspectives of the inner workings, and difficulties, of working in an abortion clinic.  Both movies provide a little known perspective to a wider audience, in a eye opening, memorable way.  Either film should win the category.

    The nominees for the documentary short films at the 2026 Academy Awards provide a variety of topics to the movie going audience. Two of the films stand out of the five. 

   Until next time I will see you at the movies!