Oscar 2026, Playing God is the Italian short in the shortlist
Lights and shadows for Italian cinema from the Academy. If on the one hand Family by Francesco Costabile fails to achieve the desired objective, on the other hand the Italian animation achieves a significant result with a work included in the first selection. And there is also the Irish short film Eirù by Italian director Giovanna Ferrari
The publication of the Oscar shortlists brings with it lights and shadows for Italian cinema. If on the one hand Family by Francesco Costabile fails to achieve the desired objective, on the other hand the Italian animation obtains a significant result, with a work included in the selection of the best animated short films. What emerges from the Academy’s official announcement, released in New York on 16 December 2025, is a complex balance sheet.
The Italy that makes cinema still manages to stand out thanks to the entry of Playing God by Matteo Burani in the shortlist of the 15 best animated shorts. A result that takes on particular importance if we consider the breadth of the selection, built from 113 animated short films from all over the world. On the same day, the Academy announced the shortlists in 12 overall categories.
It also ends up in the shortlist of the 15 best animated shorts also the Irish short Eiru by the Italian director Giovanna Ferrari.
Playing God: art, torment and the race towards the statuette
Playing God is a seven-minute animated story that follows the journey of a tormented artist, trying to model a human figure with ideal proportions. The project ends when the artist acknowledges his failure and abandons his creation.
For Matteo Burani’s film the journey towards the Oscars is not yet over: the next crucial step will be the announcement of the nominations set for January 22nd, before the possible arrival at the ‘night of the stars’ on March 15th at the Dolby Theater. Meanwhile, for the director and his terracotta creatures, inspired by Niccolo’ dell’Arca and created in Studio Croma in Bologna, entry into the top 15 already represents a first, important success.
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Oscar, no shortlist for Familia but for Italy there is Matteo Burani
Éiru: Giovanna Ferrari’s directorial debut
Not only that Playing God: there’s a lot of Italy in there too Eirua short film competing for Ireland directed by Italian director Giovanna Ferrari. Bolognese, born in 1979, Ferrari has lived in Kilkenny since 2015, where she works as head of story and designer in the prestigious animation studio Cartoon Saloon.
Eiruset in Celtic Ireland, tells the story of a tiny girl with flame-colored hair and marks the first work in which the author signs both the direction and the screenplay. Supporting the project as producer is Nora Twomey, active in the same studio and already nominated for an Oscar for The Breadwinner.
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Familia is the film that Italy is nominating for the 2026 Oscar selection
Featured original songs and other films
A further reference to Italy appears in the shortlist of the 15 original songs, where it appears Sweet Dreams of Joy da Viva Verdi, Yvonne Russo’s documentary dedicated to the lives of the guests of the Rest Home for Musicians in Milan, known as Casa Verdi.
In the same category, Sinners e Wicked: For Good are in the lead in terms of number of placings, while the Spaniard Sirât is in a good position. Among the films selected in various categories, from makeup to cinematography and different musical declinations, they also appear Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another e Sentimental Value.
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Oscar 2026, 24 films in the running for the Italian nomination
Documentaries and international films: the disappointment of Family
In the documentary sector, out of 201 titles considered, the Academy selected 15, including The Alabama Solution, Apocalypse in the Tropics, The Perfect Neighbor e 2000 Meters to Andriivka.
The outcome for Italy in the category of best international film was different: the country, which had officially placed its bets on Familyremains excluded from the shortlist. The competition sees titles such as Norwegian prevail Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier, also nominated for best film, A Simple Accident of the Iranian Jafar Panahi, presented by France, the Brazilian The Secret Agent and Korean No Other Choice.
The international top 15, defined on the basis of contributions from 86 countries, also includes Belén (Argentina), Sound of Falling (Germania), Homebound (India), The President’s Cake (Iraq), All That’s Left of You (Norway), Palestine 36 (Palestine), Sirât (Spain), Late Shift (Switzerland) e The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia).
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Venice 2025, The Voice of Hind Rajab the Golden Lion and more
Hi! I’m Renato Lopes, an electric vehicle enthusiast and the creator of this blog dedicated to the future of clean, smart, and sustainable mobility. My mission is to share accurate information, honest reviews, and practical tips about electric cars—from new EV releases and battery innovations to charging solutions and green driving habits. Whether you’re an EV owner, a curious reader, or someone planning to make the switch, this space was made for you.
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