Oscars: Academy announces qualifying documentary, international, animated features

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the complete list of films eligible for the 2026 Oscars in three major categories — documentary feature, international feature and animated feature, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

According to the Academy, 201 documentary features, 86 international films, and 35 animated titles have qualified for consideration this year. The number of eligible documentaries is among the highest in recent years, second only to the pandemic cycle when rules were temporarily relaxed and 238 titles made the cut.

This year’s documentary lineup features several titles that have already gained traction on the festival and awards circuit, 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. Films made by well-known names about their own families — such as HBO’s My Mom Jayne by Mariska Hargitay and Apple’s Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost by Ben Stiller — are also among the qualifiers.

In the international feature category, Neon is distributing five widely-praised 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, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

Although the film was directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, France submitted it owing to its largely French backing, while Iran chose Cause of Death: Unknown.

The animated feature list comprises several box-office heavyweights, led by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle, now the highest-grossing Japanese film in history. Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, Neon’s critically acclaimed Arco and Disney’s upcoming Zootopia 2 are also in contention.

Nominations across all categories will be decided from January 12-16, 2026, and announced on January 22, 2026, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)

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