96th Academy Awards: Shortlists Released, Nominations to be Announced January 23

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has disclosed the shortlists for 10 categories of the 96th Academy Awards. These categories encompass 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.

In the Documentary Feature Film category, 15 films have been shortlisted from 167 eligible films. The shortlist includes titles such as “American Symphony”, “Apolonia, Apolonia”, and “Beyond Utopia”. Similarly, 15 films have advanced in the Documentary Short Film category from 114 qualifying films, including “The ABCs of Book Banning”, “The Barber of Little Rock”, and “Bear”.

The International Feature Film category saw 15 films advancing to the next round of voting from 88 eligible films. The shortlisted films include entries from Armenia, Bhutan, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

In the Makeup and Hairstyling category, 10 films will advance, with all members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films. The shortlisted films include “Beau Is Afraid”, “Ferrari”, “Golda”, and “Killers of the Flower Moon”.

The Music (Original Score) category saw 15 scores advancing from 148 eligible scores. The shortlisted scores include those from films like “American Fiction”, “American Symphony”, “Barbie”, and “The Boy and the Heron”.

The Original Song category has 15 songs advancing from 94 eligible songs. The shortlisted songs include “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”, “Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)” from “Asteroid City”, and “Dance The Night” from “Barbie”.

In the Animated Short Film category, 15 films have advanced from 93 qualifying films. The shortlisted films include “Boom”, “Eeva”, “Humo (Smoke)”, and “I’m Hip”. Similarly, 15 films have advanced in the Live Action Short Film category from 187 qualifying films, including “The After”, “The Anne Frank Gift Shop”, and “An Avocado Pit”.

In the Sound category, 10 films will advance, with all eligible members of the Sound Branch voting to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The shortlisted films include “Barbie”, “The Creator”, “Ferrari”, and “The Killer”.

Finally, in the Visual Effects category, 10 films remain in the running. The shortlisted films include “The Creator”, “Godzilla Minus One”, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”, and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.

Nominations voting will commence on Thursday, January 11, 2024, and conclude on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The 96th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be broadcast live on ABC and in over 200 territories worldwide.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

Fifteen films have been shortlisted in the Documentary Feature Film category, out of the 167 eligible films. Members of the Documentary Branch cast their votes to determine both the shortlist and the eventual nominees.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “American Symphony”
• “Apolonia, Apolonia”
• “Beyond Utopia”
• “Bobi Wine: The People’s President”
• “Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy”
• “The Eternal Memory”
• “Four Daughters”
• “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project”
• “In the Rearview”
• “Stamped from the Beginning”
• “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”
• “A Still Small Voice”
• “32 Sounds”
• “To Kill a Tiger”
• “20 Days in Mariupol”

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

Fifteen films made it to the Documentary Short Film category out of the 114 qualified films. Similar to the Documentary Feature Film category, members of the Documentary Branch participated in the voting process.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “The ABCs of Book Banning”
• “The Barber of Little Rock”
• “Bear”
• “Between Earth & Sky”
• “Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games”
• “Camp Courage”
• “Deciding Vote”
• “How We Get Free”
• “If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis”
• “Island in Between”
• “The Last Repair Shop”
• “Last Song from Kabul”
• “Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó”
• “Oasis”
• “Wings of Dust”

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Fifteen films have advanced to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category, representing 88 countries and regions. The preliminary round involved Academy members from all branches, with the final round requiring members to view all 15 shortlisted films before casting their votes.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by country, are:

• Armenia, “Amerikatsi”
• Bhutan, “The Monk and the Gun”
• Denmark, “The Promised Land”
• Finland, “Fallen Leaves”
• France, “The Taste of Things”
• Germany, “The Teachers’ Lounge”
• Iceland, “Godland”
• Italy, “Io Capitano”
• Japan, “Perfect Days”
• Mexico, “Totem”
• Morocco, “The Mother of All Lies”
• Spain, “Society of the Snow”
• Tunisia, “Four Daughters”
• Ukraine, “20 Days in Mariupol”
• United Kingdom, “The Zone of Interest”

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Ten films are shortlisted in the Makeup and Hairstyling category, with all members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each film before voting to nominate five for final Oscar consideration.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Beau Is Afraid”
• “Ferrari”
• “Golda”
• “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• “The Last Voyage of the Demeter”
• “Maestro”
• “Napoleon”
• “Oppenheimer”
• “Poor Things”
• “Society of the Snow”

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

Fifteen scores have been shortlisted in the Original Score category, out of the 148 eligible scores. Members of the Music Branch voted to determine both the shortlist and the nominees.

The shortlisted scores, in alphabetical order by film title, are:

• “American Fiction”
• “American Symphony”
• “Barbie”
• “The Boy and the Heron”
• “The Color Purple”
• “Elemental”
• “The Holdovers”
• “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”
• “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• “Oppenheimer”
• “Poor Things”
• “Saltburn”
• “Society of the Snow”
• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
• “The Zone of Interest”

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Fifteen songs have been shortlisted in the Original Song category, out of the 94 eligible songs. Members of the Music Branch voted to determine both the shortlist and the nominees.

The shortlisted songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title:

• “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”
• “Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)” from “Asteroid City”
• “Dance The Night” from “Barbie”
• “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”
• “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”
• “Keep It Movin’” from “The Color Purple”
• “Superpower (I)” from “The Color Purple”
• “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”
• “High Life” from “Flora and Son”
• “Meet In The Middle” from “Flora and Son”
• “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”
• “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• “Quiet Eyes” from “Past Lives”
• “Road To Freedom” from “Rustin”
• “Am I Dreaming” from “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Fifteen films have been shortlisted in the Animated Short Film category, out of the 93 qualified films. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch voted to determine both the shortlist and the nominees.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Boom”
• “Eeva”
• “Humo (Smoke)”
• “I’m Hip”
• “A Kind of Testament”
• “Koerkorter (Dog Apartment)”
• “Letter to a Pig”
• “Ninety-Five Senses”
• “Once upon a Studio”
• “Our Uniform”
• “Pachyderme”
• “Pete”
• “27”
• “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”
• “Wild Summon”

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Fifteen films have been shortlisted in the Live Action Short Film category, out of the 187 qualified films. In a new development, Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting. For the nominations round, members are invited to opt in and must view all 15 shortlisted films before voting.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “The After”
• “The Anne Frank Gift Shop”
• “An Avocado Pit”
• “Bienvenidos a Los Angeles”
• “Dead Cat”
• “Good Boy”
• “Invincible”
• “Invisible Border”
• “Knight of Fortune”
• “The One Note Man”
• “Red, White and Blue”
• “The Shepherd”
• “Strange Way of Life”
• “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
• “Yellow”

SOUND

Ten films have been shortlisted in the Sound category, with eligible members of the Sound Branch voting to determine both the shortlist and the nominees. Academy members will have the opportunity to view excerpts from each shortlisted film before casting their votes.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Barbie”
• “The Creator”
• “Ferrari”
• “The Killer”
• “Killers of the Flower Moon”
• “Maestro”
• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”
• “Napoleon”
• “Oppenheimer”
• “The Zone of Interest”

VISUAL EFFECTS

Ten films remain in the running for the Visual Effects category, with the Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determining the shortlist. All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each shortlisted film before voting.

The shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “The Creator”
• “Godzilla Minus One”
• “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
• “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”
• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”
• “Napoleon”
• “Poor Things”
• “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire”
• “Society of the Snow”
• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Nominations voting is set to begin on Thursday, January 11, 2024, and will conclude on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. The 96th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC and in over 200 territories worldwide.