The moment we’ve all been waiting for—the 2025 Oscar nominations are here! This year’s selection highlights an incredible array of films, celebrating both established creators and emerging talents. While not all of these cinematic gems are available to stream for free, we’ve curated a few standout picks you can watch online, with others accessible on platforms like Netflix and Paramount+. Dive in and enjoy the brilliance of this year’s nominees!
Live-Action Short Film Nominees
I'm Not a Robot
by Victoria Warmerdam and Trent
A series of failed Captcha tests plunges a woman into a strange new reality.
The Last Ranger
by Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw
When young Litha is introduced to the magic of a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, they are ambushed by poachers. In the ensuing battle to save the rhinos, Litha discovers a terrible secret.
A Lien
by Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz
On the day of their green card interview, a young couple confronts a dangerous immigration process.
Anuja
by Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai
ANUJA tells the story of a gifted nine-year-old girl, alongside her sister Palak, as they work in a back-alley garment factory.
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
by Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek
In the middle of winter, a passenger train is stopped by paramilitary forces. As they arrest innocent civilians, only one man out of 500 dares to stand up to them. This is the true story of a man who could not remain silent.
‘The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent’ is still enjoying a festival run so the film is not online yet.
Animated Short Film Nominees
Yuck!
by Loïc Espuche and Juliette Marquet
Yuck! Couples kissing on the mouth are gross. And the worst is, you can’t miss them: when people are about to kiss, their lips become all pink and shiny. Little Léo laughs at them, just like all the kids at the summer camp. But he has a secret he won’t tell his friends: his own mouth has actually begun glistening. And, in reality, Léo desperately wants to give kissing a try.
Beautiful Men
by Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Elslande
A trio of balding bothers visit Istanbul for a hair transplant in this comedic stop-motion.
‘Beautiful Men’ is still enjoying a festival run so the film is not online yet.
In The Shadows of the Cypress
by Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi
A captain suffering from PTSD who struggles with a harsh life. He wants to be a caring father…One day something unexpected happens. It can be either a new trouble or a blessing in disguise.
‘In The Shadow of the Cypress’ is still enjoying a festival run so the film is not online yet.
Magic Candies
by Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio
The other kids never ask Dong-Dong to play, but he’s fine just playing marbles on his own. Until one day, he buys a bag of colorful candies and begins to discover new voices and perspectives.
‘Magic Candies’ is still enjoying a festival run so the film is not online yet.
Wander to Wonder
by Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper
After the death of their creator, Mary, Dick and Bill are left behind in the studio with his dead body. Left to their own devices, the puppets desperately try to keep making the show for the children. But they run out of food and their new material is not so suitable for their young audience.
‘Wander to Wonder’ is still enjoying a festival run so the film is not online yet.
Documentary Short Film Nominees
Death by Numbers
by Kim A. Snyder and Janique L. Robillard
Four years after being shot with an AR-15 in her high school, Samantha Fuentes reckons with existential questions of hatred and justice as she prepares to confront her shooter.
‘Death by Numbers’ is still enjoying a festival run so the film is not online yet.
I Am Ready, Warden
by Smriti Mundhra and Maya Gnyp
Sentenced to death, John Henry Ramirez prepares a message for his victim’s son while saying goodbye to his own child
Incident
by Bill Morrison and Jamie Kalven
Bill Morrison reconstructs a Chicago police shooting of an unarmed Black man, questioning whether it was an accident or murder.
Instruments of a Beating Heart
by Ema Ryan Yamazaki and Eric Nyarir
First graders in a Tokyo public elementary school are presented with a challenge for the final semester: performing “Ode to Joy” at the ceremony for the new incoming first graders. Ayame, who often struggles to keep up with the group, is determined to play a major part – the big drum.
The Only Girl in the Orchestra
by Molly O’Brien and Lisa Remington
This short documentary celebrates trailblazing double bassist Orin O’Brien, the first woman to become a full-time member of the New York Philharmonic.