The Academy named The Girl Who Cried Pearls the winner of the 2026 Oscar for Animated Short Film. That establishes the award result, not a defensible quality ranking of all five nominees. Without verified viewing-based comparisons, the most accurate ranking is the winner first and the other four tied: the Academy’s results do not order them, and there is no source-backed critical consensus to fill that gap.
The evidence-based ranking
| Rank | Film | Credited filmmaker(s) | What the ranking means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Girl Who Cried Pearls | Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski | Winner of the 2026 Academy Award for Animated Short Film. |
| Tied | Butterfly | Florence Miailhe and Ron Dyens | Nominee; the Academy result does not place it relative to the other non-winners. |
| Tied | Forevergreen | Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears | Nominee; the Academy result does not place it relative to the other non-winners. |
| Tied | Retirement Plan | John Kelly and Andrew Freedman | Nominee; the Academy result does not place it relative to the other non-winners. |
| Tied | The Three Sisters | Konstantin Bronzit | Nominee; the Academy result does not place it relative to the other non-winners. |
This is a ranking of the documented award outcome, not a claim that the winner is objectively the best film or that the remaining nominees are equal in merit. The Academy’s result page identifies the winner and nominees, but supplies no ordering among the four films that did not win. No comparative review scores or established consensus ranking are available here to support a more granular list.
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Why the ceremony is called the 2026 Oscars
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony took place on March 15, 2026, and the Academy says it honored films released in 2025. The nominations were announced on January 22, 2026. The ceremony year and the films’ release year therefore refer to different parts of the awards cycle.
The Academy says nominees in the Animated Short Film category are selected by participating members from all branches who opt in and meet eligibility requirements. That process determines the nominated field; it does not create a published ranking of the nominees beyond the eventual winner.
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How to compare the five films fairly
A critic’s ranking should come from watching the complete field and applying the same standards to each film. Useful criteria include:
- Visual storytelling and craft: how effectively the animation communicates ideas and supports the film’s purpose.
- Narrative coherence: whether the story or central idea is clear and compelling on its own terms.
- Emotional or comic impact: how strongly the film’s intended effect lands.
- Originality: whether its approach feels distinctive rather than merely familiar.
- Use of short-film length: whether the work feels purposeful and complete within its limited form.
Those are evaluation standards, not findings about these particular films. The available official results do not document their plots, runtimes, animation techniques, or comparative strengths, so assigning scores or describing specific scenes without watching them would imply evidence that is not established here. A viewing-based list could rank all five; this award-record ranking cannot.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to look for a screening
The Oscar Nominated Shorts website describes a feature-length theatrical presentation for each of the Academy’s three short-film categories, including animation. It identifies Roadside Attractions as the presenter and says the program is not presented, sponsored, or endorsed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The program is therefore a theatrical collection associated with the nominees, not an Academy-produced or Academy-endorsed release.
The program information does not establish current showtimes in a particular city, streaming availability for any individual film, or physical releases. Check the program’s current listings and local exhibitors for screening dates, and verify territory and availability directly before relying on a listing.
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