Oscars 2025: Full List of Animated, Documentary, and International Feature Categories Announced
The Academy has released the full list of eligible films for the Animated, Documentary, and International Feature Film categories for the 98th Academy Awards. Some films still have to complete their theatrical or qualifying releases, which are required by the end of the year.
Animated Feature Category
A total of 35 films have been included in the Animated Feature category this year. Members of the Animation Branch can now vote to select five nominees. Other members will also be able to vote if they meet minimum viewing standards.
This list includes several major and popular films such as Zootopia 2, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, Elio, Dog Man, and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
International Feature Film Category
This year, 86 countries/regions have submitted their official films for the International Feature category. This category is for feature films produced outside the United States and primarily in a non-English language.
The Academy allows members of all branches to vote in this round, provided they meet minimum viewing criteria. The shortlist of 15 films for this category will be released on December 16th.
This year, India submitted “Homebound” as its official entry. Several strong films from countries like France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and Germany are also included in the shortlist.
Documentary Feature Category
The Documentary Feature category has the highest number of submissions, with 201. This number increases each year, making the competition in this category quite tough.
The Documentary Branch members will first select a shortlist of 15 documentaries, which will be announced on December 16th. This list will then be narrowed down to five nominations.
This category includes films covering a wide range of topics, including music, politics, history, human rights, war, technology, and personal life. Some notable titles include Becoming Led Zeppelin, Grand Theft Hamlet, I Know Catherine, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, and The Wolves Always Come at Night.
The Importance of the Lists
The preliminary shortlists for these three categories are considered the most important start to Oscar season. They provide a window into which films will be most discussed in the coming months.
Furthermore, the diverse participation of countries also demonstrates how global cinema is rapidly changing and new voices are making their way onto the big stage.
What’s Next?
Voting and screenings will now take place in all categories. Following the release of the shortlist in December, the final nominations will be announced in January. The Oscars ceremony will be held in March 2025, where the winners will be announced.
