The Short Awards 2025: Nominees

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: