Los Angeles [US]: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the complete lineup of films eligible for the 2026 Oscars in three major categories—documentary feature, international feature and animated feature—marking one of the most competitive years in recent memory, The Hollywood Reporter noted.
According to the Academy, 201 documentary features, 86 international films and 35 animated titles have qualified this year. The documentary count is among the highest in recent years, surpassed only during the pandemic era when relaxed rules pushed the number to 238.
Several documentaries already gaining awards buzz are part of the list, including Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor and Apocalypse in the Tropics, Apple’s Come See Me in the Good Light, and Neon’s Orwell: 2+2=5. Personal family stories made by well-known figures—such as HBO’s My Mom Jayne by Mariska Hargitay and Apple’s Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost by Ben Stiller—are also in contention.
Films connected to the ongoing Middle East conflict, including Torn: The Israel-Palestine Poster War on New York City Streets, Coexistence, My Ass!, Holding Liat and Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, have also made the cut.
However, a surprising absence is The Eyes of Ghana, directed by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot. Without a distributor, the film is reportedly being held for next year’s awards cycle. Also missing are Sofia Coppola’s Marc by Sofia and Questlove’s Sly Lives.
In the international feature category, five acclaimed national submissions—Norway’s Sentimental Value, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, South Korea’s No Other Choice, Spain’s Sirat and France’s It Was Just an Accident—are being distributed by Neon. The French submission, though directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, qualified under France due to its dominant French backing. Iran instead sent Cause of Death: Unknown.
Strong contenders from Asia and Europe, including Japan’s Kokuho, Iraq’s The President’s Cake, Belgium’s Young Mothers and Taiwan’s Left-Handed Girl, are part of the list. Some countries opted for documentaries in this category, such as Ukraine’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka, North Macedonia’s The Tale of Silyan and Denmark’s Mr. Nobody Against.
In animation, several global blockbusters have secured eligibility. Leading the category is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, now the highest-grossing Japanese film ever. Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, Neon’s acclaimed Arco and Disney’s forthcoming Zootopia 2 are also in the race. Expected heavyweights like Ne Zha 2, Paddington in Peru and Smurfs did not qualify due to unmet submission rules or eligibility issues.
The Academy will next begin the shortlisting process for documentary and international categories. Voting will take place from December 8 to 12, with the official shortlists to be announced on December 16. Final nominations for all Oscar categories will be determined between January 12 and 16, and the nomination list will be released on January 22, 2026, The Hollywood Reporter said.
