The Oscar®-Nominated Short Films return to OKCMOA’s Noble Theater on February 20, 2026. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar®-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award® Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. A perennial hit with audiences everywhere, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts. The Academy Awards take place Sunday, March 15.
2026 LIVE ACTION OSCAR®-NOMINATED SHORT FILMS
Some films in this program contain adult language, adult themes and sensual images. Recommended for viewers 17 and up.
THE SINGERS | Dir. Sam A. Davis | United States | 18 minutes
The Singers is a short film adaptation of a 19th-century short story written by Ivan Turgenev, in which a lowly pub full of downtrodden patrons connect unexpectedly through an impromptu sing-off. With a cast comprised of viral video singing talents and other one-of-a-kind personalities from the unlikeliest corners of the internet, the film is an experimental docu-musical hybrid crafted like an improvisational play.
A FRIEND OF DOROTHY | Dir. Lee Knight | United Kingdom | 21 minutes
Dorothy (BAFTA winner Miriam Margolyes) is a lonely widow whose body is failing, but her mind remains as bright as ever. When 17-year-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) accidentally kicks his football into her garden, he upends Dorothy’s daily routine of pills, prunes and crosswords, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. Despite being worlds apart in every way, the two come to find they have more in common than they could ever imagine.
BUTCHER’S STAIN | Dir. Meyer Levinson-Blount | Israel | 26 minutes
Samir, a Palestinian butcher working at an Israeli supermarket, is accused of tearing down the Israeli hostage posters in the break room. Samir sets out to prove his innocence in order to keep his job he desperately needs.
TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA | Dir. Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata | France, United States | 36 minutes
In a society where kissing is punishable by death, and people pay for things by receiving slaps to the face, Angine, an unhappy woman, shops compulsively in a department store. There, she becomes fascinated by a playful salesgirl. Despite the prohibition of kissing, the two become close, raising the suspicions of a jealous colleague. A 2025 deadCenter Film Festival selection!
JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA | Dir. Julia Aks and Steve Pinder | United States | 12 minutes
England, 1813. Miss Estrogenia “Essy” Talbot gets her period during a long-awaited marriage proposal. Mr. Dickley mistakes the blood for an injury and rushes off to fetch a doctor. While he’s gone, Essy’s sisters plead with her not to imperil her engagement by telling Mr. Dickley the truth. But when he returns, Essy barrels ahead, sharing every little bloody detail. A 2025 deadCenter Film Festival selection!
