Los Angeles – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the shortlists for 12 award categories for the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars).
The shortlists include categories such as Animated Short Film, Documentary, International Feature Film, Casting, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music, Sound, and Visual Effects. These lists decide which films will move forward to the final nomination round.
In the Animated Short Film category, 15 films were selected from more than 100 entries.
For Documentary Feature Film and Documentary Short Film, 15 films were shortlisted in each category.
The International Feature Film category includes films from 15 countries, selected from 86 submissions worldwide.
Several big films appeared multiple times across categories, including “Frankenstein,” “Wicked: For Good,” “Sinners,” “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” and “F1.”
In music categories, 20 original scores and 15 original songs have moved forward.
The Sound and Visual Effects categories each feature 10 films, highlighting major Hollywood productions and visually ambitious movies.
Voting for final nominations will begin on January 12, 2026, and end on January 16, 2026.
The official Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026.
The 98th Oscars ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The event will be broadcast live on ABC and shown in more than 200 countries worldwide.
The Academy will present awards in 24 categories, including Best Picture, which will have 10 nominees.