Italy out of the shortlist of Best International Films, but there is still hope

In the 12 shortlists for the 2026 Oscars announced today there is no film Familia by Francesco Costabile, chosen to represent Italy

They have been announced 12 shortlist for as many categories of Oscar 2026 and for Italy there is already a bitter surprise: Family by Francesco Costabile is not among the works competing for Best International Film.
However, for Italy there is still a possibility why Playing God at Mattia Burani is still on the list of Best Animated Shorts.

In addition to those for best non-English language film and best animated short, the other shortlists presented include best documentary, best documentary short, live action short, best makeup and hairstyling, best original soundtrack, original song, best sound and visual effects, and the shortlists for casting and best cinematography.

Voting that will determine the candidates in all 24 categories will begin on January 12th and close on the 16th. All nomination will be officially announced next January 22, 2026.
The ceremonywhich will be held in Los Angeles on March 15will be hosted by Conan O’Brien.

The films in the running for the Oscars in the 12 shortlists announced

Familia is missing from the provisional list of the best international films, but on the other hand some of the most famous works of the year are present, from The Voice of Hind Rajab to A Simple Accident by Jafar Panahi, which represents France.

Best international film

• Argentina, Belén

• Brazil, The secret agent

• France, A simple accident

• Germania, The sound of falling

• India, Homebound

• Iraq, The president’s cake

• Japan, That’s it

• Jordan, All that’s left of you

• Norway, Sentimental Value

• Palestine, Palestine 36

• South Korea, No Other Choice – There is no other choice

• Spain, Sirât

• Swiss, The last round

• Taiwan, My family in Taipei

• Tunisia, The voice of Hind Rajab

Best animated short film

Best Original Score

• Avatar: Fire and ash

• Bugonia

• Captain America: Brave New World

• Diane Warren: Relentless

• F1

• Frankenstein

• Hamnet

• Hedda

• A House of Dynamite

• Jay Kelly

• Marty Supreme

• Nuremberg

• One battle after another

• The sinners

• Sirât

• Train Dreams

• Tron: Ares

• Truth and Treason

• Wake Up Dead Man – Knives Out

• Wicked – Parte 2

Best cast

Best photography

• The ballad of a little player

• Bugonia

• Die My Love

• F1

• Frankenstein

• Hamnet

• Marty Supreme

• New wave

• One battle after another

• Sentimental Value

• The sinners

• Sirât

• Song Sung Blue – A melody of love

• The sound of a fall

• Train Dreams

• Wicked – Parte 2

Best Documentary

• The Alabama Solution

• Apocalypse in the Tropics

• Coexistence, My Ass!

• Come See Me in the Good Light

• Cover-Up

• Cutting through Rocks

• Folktales

• Holding Liat

• Mr. Nobody against Putin

• Mistress Dispeller

• My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow

• The Perfect Neighbor

• Seeds

• 2000 Meters to Andriivka

• yanuni

Best documentary short

• All the Empty Rooms

• All the Walls Came Down

• Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud

• Bad Hostage

• Cashing Out

• Chasing Time

• Children No More: “Were and Are Gone”

• Classroom 4

• The Devil Is Busy

• Heartbeat

• Last Days on Lake Trinity

• On Healing Land, Birds Perch

• Perfectly a Strangeness

• Rovina’s Choice

• We Were the Scenery

Best Live-Action Short Film

Best makeup and hairstyles

Best Original Song

• As Alive As You Need Me To Be da Tron: Ares

• Dear Me da Diane Warren: Relentless

• Dream As One da Avatar: Fire and ash

• Drive da F1

• Dying To Live da Billy Idol Should Be Dead

• The Girl In The Bubble da Wicked – Parte 2

• Golden too KPop Demon Hunters

• Highest 2 Lowest da Highest 2 Lowest

• I Lied To You da The sinners

• Last Time (I Seen The Sun) da The sinners

• No Place Like Home da Wicked – Parte 2

• Our Love da The Ballad of Wallis Island

• Salt Then Sour Then Sweet da Come See Me in the Good Light

• Sweet Dreams Of Joy da Long live Verdi!

• Train Dreams da Train Dreams

Best sound

• Avatar: Fire and ash

• F1

• Frankenstein

• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

• One battle after another

• The sinners

• Sirât

• Springsteen: Free me from nothing

• Superman

• Wicked – Parte 2

Best special effects