Oscar Shortlists: ‘Sinners’ Dominates, ‘Sirât’ Surges, and ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ Snubbed

The Oscars shortlists in 12 categories have been announced, including documentary feature, international feature, cinematography, original score, original song, sound, and visual effects. The films that led the way include “Sinners” (8 noms), “Wicked: For Good” (8), “Frankenstein (6), “One Battle After Another” (5), “F1” (5), and “Sirât” (5).

I’m not going to go through the entire list. You can check out the full lineup here. What I will say is that “The Testament of Ann Lee” being shut out — including in Song and Score — means it’s DOA. I never believed in Amanda Seyfreid’s chances for Best Actress, and this basically seals it for me.

More snubs: “28 Years Later” and “Weapons” both missed Makeup, but “The Ugly Stepsister” got in.

The biggest shocker? “Song Sung Blue” made it into Cinematography, but “No Other Choice” didn’t — how? Because the first thing you think about when seeing “Song Sung Blue” is its amazing visuals tapestries. No, really — I might have some issues with “No Other Choice,” but its amazing photography is certainly not that.

“Sirât” and “The Secret Agent” landed in Casting. In fact, the biggest surprise this afternoon might just be Oliver Laxe’s “Sirât,” which made the shortlists in Sound, Score, Casting, Cinematography, and International Feature. Now, I’m not ready to call “Sirât” a potential best picture nominee, but Laxe’s film is certainly now on voters’ radar.

With that said, the category that most intrigues me is INTERNATIONAL FILM, and by the looks of it, there weren’t really any surprises this year. Three Palestine-themed films made the cut. Among the snubs: “A Poet,” “My Father’s Shadow,” “Calle Malaga,” “Magellan,” and “Franz,”

Argentina, “Belén”
Brazil, “The Secret Agent”
France, “It Was Just an Accident”
Germany, “Sound of Falling”
India, “Homebound”
Iraq, “The President’s Cake”
Japan, “Kokuho”
Jordan, “All That’s Left of You”
Norway, “Sentimental Value”
Palestine, “Palestine 36”
South Korea, “No Other Choice”
Spain, “Sirât”
Switzerland, “Late Shift”
Taiwan, “Left-Handed Girl”
Tunisia, “The Voice of Hind Rajab”

This year, 92 countries submitted their selections. That’s a record. A quick glimpse at the short list, it’s hard not to predict “Sentimental Value,” “The Secret Agent,” and “It Was Just An Accident” as our main frontrunners.

As far as DOCUMENTARY shortlist goes, this year, the category is yet again filled with highly politicized docs from the U.S., Ukraine, Russia, and Brazil . Missing from the shortlist of 15 are critical darlings “The Tale of Silyan,” “Predators,” “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5,” “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” “My Mom Jayne,” and  “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley.”

“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”

Here are some of the other more important shortlists announced, including a tease of what’s to come in the newly introduced “casting” category:

CASTING

“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle after Another”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Sirât”
“Weapons”
“Wicked: For Good”

CINEMATOGRAPHY

“Ballad of a Small Player”
“Bugonia”
“Die My Love”
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“Marty Supreme”
“Nouvelle Vague”
“One Battle after Another”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Sirât”
“Song Sung Blue”
“Sound of Falling”
“Train Dreams”
“Wicked: For Good”

MUSIC (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”
“Sinners”
“Sirât”
“Train Dreams”
“Tron: Ares”
“Truth and Treason”
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
“Wicked: For Good”

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

“As Alive As You Need Me To Be” from “Tron: Ares”
“Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless”
“Dream As One” from “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“Drive” from “F1”
“Dying To Live” from “Billy Idol Should Be Dead”
“The Girl In The Bubble” from “Wicked: For Good”
“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters”
“Highest 2 Lowest” from “Highest 2 Lowest”
“I Lied To You” from “Sinners”
“Last Time (I Seen The Sun)” from “Sinners”
“No Place Like Home” from “Wicked: For Good”
“Our Love” from “The Ballad of Wallis Island”
“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from “Come See Me in the Good Light”
“Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”
“Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams”

VISUAL EFFECTS

“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“The Electric State”
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“Jurassic World Rebirth”
“The Lost Bus”
“Sinners”
“Superman”
“Tron: Ares”
“Wicked: For Good”

Nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The 97th Academy Awards nominees will be announced on Friday, January 17.