It was the Movies’ big night, and a big night for Shorts too! Doc Shorts even got a rare shoutout during Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue, and at one point the telecast practically ground to a halt thanks to the sheer volume of cheering in the auditorium.

Just a few years ago, the three short film categories were nearly dropped from the broadcast altogether. This year, though, they delivered some of the night’s best moments: a rare piece of Oscar history repeated itself, one winning film’s central subject made a powerful plea on stage, and the filmmakers used their time to share heartfelt messages of hope — and remind us of the power of art to shape a better world.⁠

Congrats to all the nominees, but here are the winners, along with short commentary from S/W co-founder, Jason Sondhi. 

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Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

Winner: The Girl Who Cried Pearls by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski

Smart money had coalesced around Butterfly, and we chose Retirement Plan in our official prediction post. All this shows how the machinations of award season can obscure more than they clarify, because if you asked us last June what would win, this would have been our pick. It’s a fine choice too—we really like the film—and it’s well deserved that Lavis and Szczerbowski earn their statuettes 19 years after failing to win for Madame Tutli-Putli. The legacy of that short has grown through the years with its continued success online, to the point that it is now unquestionably a modern classic. Congrats to the National Film Board for this win, and here’s hoping The Girl Who Cried Pearls can follow a similar trajectory. 

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Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film

Winner: All the Empty Rooms by Joshua Seftel

Another win for Netflix, and another redemption story, with Seftel earning a statuette in his second try. All the Empty Rooms was our predicted winner and in our minds a worthy one—it’s a tasteful and truly moving film experience, containing a vital message against the normalization of school shootings in America. Accompanied on stage by the mother of Jackie, one of the murdered children whose rooms were photographed in the film, Seftel ceded the mic, and her heartfelt plea ended up being one of the most powerful moments of the evening. 

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Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Film

Winner (Tie!): The Singers by Sam Davis & Two People Exchanging Saliva by Natalie Musteata & Alexandre Singh

Holy moly, history made! Only the 7th tie in Oscar history, and the first since 2012. Pundits were split between the two films, and we were too. Davis has graced the pages of S/W many times, and we featured Musteata and Singh’s film in November. It was hard to choose, and ultimately, the Academy didn’t have to, with both film teams having their moment on the stage. The split win also recognizes the two most effective acquirers of Oscar shorts right now—Netflix and The New Yorker. 

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View previous Oscar-nominated films, winners, and further coverage from the awards on our dedicated CHANNEL.

Short of the Week is excited to announce a new partnership with the Ouray International Film Festival, with its first-ever official festival award set to be presented at the 2026 edition in Colorado. The award marks the beginning of an exciting partnership between SotW and OIFF, bringing together two organisations with a shared commitment to supporting filmmakers and strengthening the wider industry.

For Short of the Week, the initiative marks a significant step in expanding its presence within the festival landscape, while reinforcing its long-standing mission to connect filmmakers with wider audiences. It also represents a key milestone for the platform, as it’s the first time an official Short of the Week award will be presented at a film festival. Through this collaboration, SotW aims to help bridge the gap between the festival circuit and the online film community – two spaces that often operate separately despite supporting the same creative ecosystem.

Speaking about the collaboration, Short of the Week Managing Editor Rob Munday highlighted the shared values underpinning the partnership:

“The moment I spent time with the festival team at the Ouray Film Sabbatical, it became clear that this was an event driven not by commercial goals or milestones, but by a genuine commitment to supporting and nurturing filmmaking talent.

While Short of the Week has long wanted to partner with a film festival, it had to be one that shared our beliefs – and with OIFF, that synergy finally clicked into place. As a relatively young festival, we’re excited to support its growth while also expanding the reach and visibility of the SotW platform.”

S/W’s Rob Munday (second left) with the 2026 Ouray Film Sabbatical fellows.

The Short of the Week Award will be selected by a member of the SotW team, with Managing Editor Rob Munday attending the festival this year. In addition to receiving an OIFF medal, the winning filmmaker will benefit from a support package designed to extend the life of their film beyond the festival circuit, including a release on Short of the Week.

By combining SotW’s global audience with OIFF’s in-person community-driven festival, the partnership aims to offer filmmakers both immediate recognition and sustained visibility – an increasingly important combination in today’s evolving film landscape. OIFF co-founder Jake Abell underscored this point:

“At OIFF, we know online and in-person curation go hand in hand. It’s not a zero sum game. Just like festivals, Short of the Week does something indispensable for short filmmakers. Together, we believe OIFF and SotW can amplify what our respective platforms can do to support the folks making amazing short films.”

As both organisations look ahead, the collaboration signals a broader interest in fostering deeper connections across the industry, supporting filmmakers not only at the point of exhibition, but throughout their creative journeys. As fellow OIFF co-founder Jared LaCroix explains:

“As a festival, we’ve been looking for ways to continue to support beyond our in-person experience, and now with this partnership with SotW, we  finally feel like we can offer that type of support.”

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The Ouray International Film Festival will run from June 18th – 21st 2026. Passes are available now, visit their website for more info.