This year’s 2026 Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Documentary program opened in theaters on February 20 through Roadside Attractions. The five nominees present intimate portraits drawn from real-world crises that wallow in grief. Well, four of them do anyway.
For reasons known only to the Academy, this category heavily favors grim subjects. It’s a dispiriting lineup. Only one entry resists despair, but that selection is more of a curious oddity. As with the previous short programs I’ve reviewed (Animated and Live Action), the films are listed in order from best to worst.
ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS
UNITED STATES / 33 MINS / 2025
Director: Joshua Seftel
This project follows CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman (and photographer Lou Bopp), best known for his uplifting human-interest segments. Hartman steps away from that format to document the preserved bedrooms of children killed in school shootings. The pair visits families across the country to photograph and record these spaces as they have been left behind. The theme is a visual record of remembrance.
A painful experience. Asking parents to talkabout their deceased children while we watch is not an easy sit. But takes a surprisingly restrained approach given what could have been a call for policy solutions. Parents reflect on their children’s preserved bedrooms and personal belongings, honoring their memory. On that level, the documentary has an altruistic purpose.
ARMED ONLY WITH A CAMERA: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BRENT RENAUD
UNITED STATES / 38 MINS / 2025
Directors: Craig Renaud and Brent Renaud
American filmmaker and journalist Brent Renaud was shot and killed in March 2022 while covering the Russo-Ukrainian War. After Brent’s slaying, his brother and collaborator Craig Renaud retrieved his body and his final footage, bringing both back to their hometown in Arkansas. The format incorporates material from Brent’s last assignment, along with archival footage from earlier projects the brothers completed together in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine, and other areas of political violence.
A posthumous portrait of a life cut short. Underscores the reality that journalism can be a dangerous profession for those committed to documenting events firsthand. Brent’s final recordings brought viewers closer to conflicts they might otherwise experience only through headlines. Despite his tragic murder, this perspective still advocates for more on-the-ground reporting.
CHILDREN NO MORE: “WERE AND ARE GONE”
ISRAEL / 36 MINS / 2025
Director: Hilla Medalia
Beginning in March 2025, a small group begins gathering weekly in a public square in Tel Aviv. They hold a silent vigil for children who died in Gaza. Each participant displays a photograph listing a child’s name, age, date of death, and the phrase “Was and Is No More.” The short observes the vigil, the reactions of passersby, and the continued addition of new participants and photographs over time.
The demonstrators stand without speaking. Their focus on the children killed in Gaza (rather than Israeli hostages) clearly provokes strong reactions from passersby. This is a conflict shaped by strong convictions across political and national lines, so even wordless advocacy hits a nerve. This document aligns with the protesters, yet you can sense the profound grief of those who have suffered losses on the other side as well. The editorial stance suggests that one tragedy does permit another. Although it fails to explore this subject with more depth, it offers a window into the charged atmosphere in Tel Aviv.
PERFECTLY A STRANGENESS
CANADA / 15 MINS / 2025
Director: Alison McAlpine
Three donkeys wander through the Atacama Desert in Chile and stumble upon a remote observatory where scientists study the stars. The film follows them as they explore the observatory grounds during the day, then shifts to night with a dreamlike look at the cosmos “performing” for these donkeys.
Not a documentary in the usual sense (no talking or explanation). It simply wants to inspire awe. This is a 15-minute visual poem that basically promotes the idea that we’re tiny and the universe is huge. It may be a work of observational nonfiction, but the highly stylized approach makes it feel more like it belongs in the live-action short category.
THE DEVIL IS BUSY
UNITED STATES / 31 MINS / 2024
Directors: Christalyn Hampton and Geeta Gandbhir
Over the course of a single day, we follow Tracii, head of security at the Feminist Center for Reproductive Liberation in Atlanta. The clinic, which performs abortions, draws patients from out of state and is a regular site of public demonstrations. Other staff members are interviewed as they reflect on their work and on the pro-life demonstrators gathered outside.
Interviews focus solely on employees at the site, highlighting their responsibilities and perspectives in a sympathetic light. Those protesting the facility in the distance are presented as the antagonists. Their moral and religious beliefs don’t make this edit. The profile memorably includes a scene of Tracii openly praying before her shift. Later, she belittles the faith of the Christian demonstrators outside. The message is a dogmatic portrait of abortion providers and the pressures they describe facing.
02-19-26