Canadian shorts and ‘Frankenstein’ creatives make the 2026 Oscars short lists

A still from the short film "Butterfly on a Wheel," directed by London, Ont.'s Trevor Morris, is shown in this undated handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Snow Dance Entertainment (Mandatory Credit) (HO)

A short film about a young Toronto jazz musician grappling with anxiety is among the Canadian projects one step closer to an Oscar nomination.

“Butterfly on a Wheel,” directed by London, Ont.’s Trevor Morris, has been shortlisted for best live-action short film, officials announced Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the stop-motion animated fable “The Girl Who Cried Pearls,” by Montreal’s Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, made the cut for best animated short film.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released short lists for 12 categories for the 2026 Oscars, including movies in consideration for best documentary, international feature and the new category of best casting.

Toronto casting director Robin D. Cook was shortlisted in that category for her work on Guillermo del Toro’s horror-fantasy “Frankenstein.”

The film also brought Canadian names into the makeup and hairstyling race, with Toronto-based makeup artist Jordan Samuel and hairstylist Cliona Furey advancing to the next round.

Montreal’s Alison McAlpine cracked the short list for best documentary short for “Perfectly a Strangeness,” her experimental film capturing three donkeys discovering an astronomical observatory in the Atacama Desert.

Toronto composer Lesley Barber advanced in the original score category for her work on music documentary “Diane Warren: Relentless.”

Alireza Khatami’s psychological thriller “The Things You Kill,” Canada’s entry for best international feature, did not advance to the next round.

Nominations will be announced Jan. 22, following another round of voting. The Oscars are set for March 15 and will be hosted by Conan O’Brien.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2025.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press