Hollywood’s release of the Oscar 2026 shortlists delivered mixed news for Italian cinema, combining disappointment with a notable achievement in animation. The feature film Familia, directed by Francesco Costabile and selected as Italy’s official submission for Best International Feature, failed to advance to the shortlist.
The category included 85 eligible films from around the world, with only 15 titles moving forward to the next stage of the race toward the Academy Awards ceremony scheduled for March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles.
Familia had generated expectations after a solid festival run and strong domestic attention, but the competition proved especially intense this year. Countries with long Oscar track records and emerging film industries alike crowded the field, highlighting how difficult it has become to secure a place among the final contenders. Missing the shortlist effectively ends the film’s Oscar journey, as only shortlisted titles remain under consideration for nominations.
At the same time, Italian talent earned significant recognition in the Animated Short Film category. Out of 113 animated shorts submitted worldwide, 15 were selected for the shortlist, and two of them are Italian productions. This result places Italy among the most represented countries in the category and confirms the growing international profile of its animation sector.
One of the shortlisted films is Playing God, a stop-motion short running just under 7 minutes. The film centers on an artist who attempts to control and reshape his creation, only to confront his own limitations and doubts. The project was developed in Bologna, a city that has increasingly become a hub for independent animation, with specialized studios and training programs supporting young filmmakers.
The second Italian title, Éiru, blends traditional animation with a visual style inspired by Celtic mythology. Created by an Italian director working between Italy and Ireland, the short explores themes of identity, memory, and belonging through a poetic narrative rooted in folklore.
Reaching the shortlist is a crucial step but not the final goal. From these 15 films, only 5 will be nominated when the Academy announces official nominations on January 22, 2026. Still, making it this far already represents international validation and can open doors to funding, distribution, and future collaborations.
Taken together, the results underline a contrast in Italy’s Oscar campaign – a setback in feature filmmaking balanced by strong momentum in animated shorts, where creativity, craftsmanship, and smaller budgets continue to yield global recognition.
