Los Angeles [US], November 22 (ANI): The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched the whole checklist of movies eligible for the 2026 Oscars in three main classes — documentary characteristic, worldwide characteristic and animated characteristic, in line with The Hollywood Reporter.
According to the Academy, 201 documentary options, 86 worldwide movies, and 35 animated titles have certified for consideration this 12 months. The variety of eligible documentaries is among the many highest in recent times, second solely to the pandemic cycle when guidelines had been briefly relaxed and 238 titles made the lower.
This 12 months’s documentary lineup options a number of titles which have already gained traction on the pageant and awards circuit, together with Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor and Apocalypse within the Tropics, Apple’s Come See Me within the Good Light, and Neon’s Orwell: 2+2=5. Films made by well-known names about their very own households — equivalent to HBO’s My Mom Jayne by Mariska Hargitay and Apple’s Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost by Ben Stiller — are additionally among the many qualifiers.
Multiple initiatives linked to the continuing Middle East turmoil have additionally made the checklist, together with Torn: The Israel-Palestine Poster War on New York City Streets, Coexistence, My Ass!, Holding Liat and Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk.
One notable omission is The Eyes of Ghana, directed by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot. The movie continues to be with out distribution, and a choice has reportedly been made to put it aside for subsequent awards season. Other anticipated contenders lacking from eligibility embody Sofia Coppola’s Marc by Sofia and Questlove’s Sly Lives, in line with The Hollywood Reporter.
In the worldwide characteristic class, Neon is distributing 5 widely-praised nationwide submissions — Norway’s Sentimental Value, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, South Korea’s No Other Choice, Spain’s Sirat and France’s It Was Just an Accident, which gained the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Although the movie was directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, France submitted it owing to its largely French backing, whereas Iran selected Cause of Death: Unknown.
Other high-profile worldwide entries embody Japan’s Kokuho, Iraq’s The President’s Cake, Belgium’s Young Mothers and Taiwan’s Left-Handed Girl. Some nations have opted to submit documentaries on this class as properly, equivalent to Ukraine’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka, North Macedonia’s The Tale of Silyan and Denmark’s Mr. Nobody Against.
The animated characteristic checklist includes a number of box-office heavyweights, led by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, now the highest-grossing Japanese movie in historical past. Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, Neon’s critically acclaimed Arco and Disney’s upcoming Zootopia 2 are additionally in rivalry. Expected contenders not included this 12 months are Ne Zha 2, Paddington in Peru and Smurfs, which both did not meet submission guidelines or failed eligibility checks.
The Academy will shortlist movies within the documentary and worldwide classes earlier than nominations. Shortlist voting is scheduled for December 8-12, 2025, with the lists to be revealed on December 16. Nominations throughout all classes can be determined from January 12-16, 2026, and introduced on January 22, 2026, in line with The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)