The 2025 Oscars are shaping up to be an exciting event as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has just announced the shortlists for ten key categories of the 97th Academy Awards. The nominations will offer viewers insight not only on expected contenders but also on how diverse the selection is this year from various cinematic realms.
Voting for the nominations runs from January 8 to January 12, 2025, with the Oscars ceremony set to take place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The event promises to be spectacular, featuring live broadcasts on ABC and streaming on Hulu, reaching audiences across more than 200 territories worldwide. The excitement around this year’s Oscars centers on the remarkable films nominated across different genres.
Among ten categories, the Academy released shortlists for Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound, and Visual Effects. Each shortlist comprises the films many industry watchers believe will lead to nominations—of which there are 15 films advancing for some categories and 10 for others.
The Documentary Feature Film category boasts 15 selected films out of 169 eligible titles. The shortlisted films include intriguing titles such as The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, Porcelain War, and Sugarcane. Similar numbers are surrounded by the Documentary Short Film category, where 15 films will proceed from the 104 entries, featuring titles like Chasing Roo and Keeper.
International Feature Film is another hotbed of activity this year, with 15 films shortlisted among submissions from 85 countries. Notable entries from this category include Latvia’s Flow, cementing its historic significance as it seeks to be the first-ever Latvian film recognized.
For the Makeup and Hairstyling category, the shortlist includes ten entries like Dune: Part Two and Wicked. Members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will preview these films, casting their votes for the final five nominees. Similarly, the Music categories are gaining buzz, with Original Score advancing 20 selections from 145, featuring films such as Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot.
Animated Short Films have earned significant attention this year, with 15 selections advancing. The shortlist features works such as A Bear Named Wojtek and Au Revoir Mon Monde, which showcase the depth of creative storytelling within various cultures. The intriguing fact about this year is the competitiveness of animated films, which also appear across several other categories, including International Feature Film and Music, raising the potential for crossover nominations.
Animation has become the focal point, with unique stories told through various visual styles, underscoring the genre's growing importance and artistry within the cinematic universe. It is remarkable to note how even popular titles, like Mufasa: The Lion King, which is included among the Visual Effects shortlist, demonstrate how animation is merging with live-action landscapes.
The Visual Effects branch has shortlisted ten key films determined by its Executive Committee, including Gladiator II and Deadpool & Wolverine alongside Dune: Part Two and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. All shortlisted films will be showcased, ensuring members enjoy exclusive excerpts and artist interviews to influence votes for the final nominees.
With the nomination voting just around the corner, excitement is building as cinephiles, filmmakers, and industry insiders await the announcements on January 17, 2025. This year’s Oscars promise surprises and genuine moments as they celebrate the immense talent across all categories and the significant achievements made within the film industry.
The historical importance of this year’s Oscars rests not only on the films selected but also on the diversity of nominations, reflecting various genres, styles, and the continuation of animated filmmaking as the lifeblood of cinematic creativity. Indeed, the time-honored tradition of celebrating excellence is likely to yield memorable moments, reaffirming the artistic merits recognized by the Academy.
