As soon as the New Year’s festivities are finished, the team here at Short of the Week shifts gears to focus on one of our most exciting annual traditions – the Short Awards.

While the Oscars may dominate awards season, those of us in the know recognise that some of the most compelling and innovative short films often fly under the Academy’s radar. That’s why our awards shine a spotlight on the standout online films from the past year – projects that deserve recognition for their creativity, storytelling, and impact.

For the voting process each member of the Short of the Week team, who collectively watch thousands of short films annually, bring their 10 personal favorites to the table for discussion. From this point, the selection process is no easy feat, as we try to determine which films truly deserve a nomination. With only seven awards to hand out, the competition is fierce.

From the 187 short films we featured last year, our programming team carefully curated a shortlist of just 20 nominees – five in each of our four main categories: Animation, Drama, Documentary, and Genre. There’s even an Audience Choice Award, where you can you vote for your own personal favorite:

️ Audience Choice Award: Click Here to Vote

With just one week to go before our jury announces the winners, it’s time to introduce this year’s nominees!

We’re kicking things off with our first category – Animation Short of the Year! The five nominated films tackle an eclectic mix of themes, including misinformation, grief, parenthood, masturbation, and fear. Quite the range, right? But that’s the magic of animation – its limitless potential lets filmmakers tackle anything, both visually and narratively. And with such a diverse lineup, there’s a little something for everyone in this category!

The Animation Nominees:

• A Crab in the Pool by Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel
• Luce and the Rock by Britt Raes
• Regular Rabbit by Eoin Duffy
• Ur Heinous Habit by Eugene Kolb
• World to Roam by Stephen Irwin

Some of our favorite shorts from 2024 are going head-to-head for Best Documentary Short of the Year – and trust us, these films have left a lasting impact on our team!

From the immersive world of video games to the joy of queer line dancing in Los Angeles, and even the unexpectedly haunting celebrations of an Inuit tradition – these films will challenge your perspective and leave you seeing the world in a whole new way.

The Documentary Nominees:

• Campfire by Austin Bunn
• Hardly Working by Total Refusal
• Instruments of a Beating Heart by Ema Ryan Yamazaki
• Nalujuk Night by Jennie Williams
• Stud Country by Alexandra Kern & Lina Abascal

From backyard drinking sessions in Australia to unexpected romance in a Scottish roadside diner, the five films in our Drama category take you on a journey across time and continents.

Whether you’re witnessing strange events unfold from the window of a West African hair salon or being transported back to one of the most violent periods in Colombia’s history, these films pack the emotional punch of a full-length feature—all in a fraction of the time.

Get ready for stories that stay with you long after the credits roll!

The Drama Nominees:

• A90 by Olivia J. Middleton
• Bogotá Story by Esteban Pedraza
• Precious Hair and Beauty by John Ogunmuyiwa
• Relationship to Patient by Caroline Creaghead
• Yeah the Boys by Stefan Hunt

If you think that genre filmmaking is just jump scares and alien worlds, then think again!

Our five nominees in this category push the boundaries in unexpected ways—featuring everything from heartfelt stories of grieving children communicating with dead parents to an existential fever dream that takes you straight into the underworld. And let’s not forget the WTF moments – cursed puppets, masks made of human skin… this year’s selection is sure to take you on a wild ride.

The Genre Nominees

• End Zone by Guy Kozak
• Foreigners Only by Nuhash Humayun
• Meat Puppet by Eros V
• The Crossing Over Express by Luke Barnett & Tanner Thomason
• The Influencer by Lael Rogers

Helping us choose the winners across our four categories – and the prestigious Short of the Year award – are four esteemed professionals from the film industry. With expertise spanning talent representation, programming, directing, and producing, this diverse panel brings a wealth of insight to table. We truly couldn’t ask for a more trusted group to help us honor this year’s standout films.

Introducing the Jury

• Shams Mohajerani – Talent Manager & Producer at 75East
• Jean Anne Lauer – Director of Shorts at Fantastic Fest
• Elizabeth Lo – Award-winning director/producer & S/W alum (Hotel 22, Mother’s Day)
• Carlos De Carvalho – Producer at Piktura (2024 Short of the Year The Seine’s Tears)

The Countdown Begins

And there you have it—your nominees for the 2025 Short Awards! Our jury is casting their votes as we speak, with the winners set to be announced in just over a week. But we want to hear from you too! If you’d like to vote for the Audience Choice Award, you can so below:

️ Audience Choice Award: Click Here to Vote

And if you think we overlooked a film that deserved recognition, drop your thoughts in the comments—we know there are always personal favorites that just miss the cut!