F
rom the whimsical world of talking animals to the heart-tugging tales of abstract emotions, animation has the power to transport us into realms beyond our imagination. This magic is celebrated every year at the Oscars, where the Academy Award for Animated Short Film shines a spotlight on the most innovative and emotional mini-masterpieces of the industry.
In this article, we are going to delve into the fascinating universe of these award-winning animated shorts, with a comprehensive list of all winners and an in-depth ranking of the top ten that have left a lasting impression on audiences worldwide.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
Oscar-Winning Animated Short Films
These mini-masterpieces, often under 40 minutes in length, have managed to encapsulate complete narratives that are engaging, emotive, and visually stunning. They've broken boundaries, defied conventions, and demonstrated the boundless creativity of their creators. From timeless classics to innovative modern tales, here is the full list of Best Oscar Winning Animated Short Films.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
OSCAR BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM WINNERS
- 2022: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse — Charlie Mackesy & Matthew Freud
- 2021: The Windshield Wiper — Alberto Mielgo & Leo Sanchez
- 2020: If Anything Happens I Love You — Will McCormack & Michael Govier
- 2019: Hair Love — Matthew A. Cherry & Karen Rupert Toliver
- 2018: Bao — Domee Shi & Becky Neiman-Cobb
- 2017: Dear Basketball — Glen Keane & Kobe Bryant
- 2016: Piper — Alan Barillaro & Marc Sondheimer
- 2015: Bear Story — Pato Escala Pierart & Gabriel Osorio Vargas
- 2014: Feast — Patrick Osborne & Kristina Reed
- 2013: Mr. Hublot — Laurent Witz & Alexandre Espigares
- 2012: Paperman — John Kahrs
- 2011: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore — William Joyce & Brandon Oldenburg
- 2010: The Lost Thing — Shaun Tan & Andrew Ruhemann
- 2009: Logorama — Nicolas Schmerkin
- 2008: La Maison en Petits Cubes — Kunio Katō
- 2007: Peter & the Wolf — Suzie Templeton & Hugh Welchman
- 2006: The Danish Poet — Torill Kove
- 2005: The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation — John Canemaker & Peggy Stern
- 2004: Ryan — Chris Landreth
- 2003: Harvie Krumpet — Adam Elliot
- 2002: The ChubbChubbs! — Eric Armstrong
- 2001: For the Birds — Ralph Eggleston
- 2000: Father and Daughter — Michaël Dudok de Wit
- 1999: The Old Man and the Sea — Aleksandr Petrov
- 1998: Bunny — Chris Wedge
- 1997: Geri's Game — Jan Pinkava
- 1996: Quest — Tyron Montgomery & Thomas Stellmach
- 1995: A Close Shave — Nick Park
- 1994: Bob's Birthday — David Fine & Alison Snowden
- 1993: The Wrong Trousers — Nick Park
- 1992: Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase — Joan C. Gratz
- 1991: Manipulation — Daniel Greaves
- 1990: Creature Comforts — Nick Park
- 1989: Balance — Christoph & Wolfgang Lauenstein
- 1988: Tin Toy — John Lasseter & Bill Reeves
- 1987: The Man Who Planted Trees — Frédéric Back
- 1986: A Greek Tragedy — Willem Thijsen & Linda Van Tulden
- 1985: Anna & Bella — Cilia van Dijk
- 1984: Charade — Jon Minnis
- 1983: Sundae in New York — Jimmy Picker
- 1982: Tango — Zbigniew Rybczyński
- 1981: Crac — Frédéric Back
- 1980: The Fly — Ferenc Rofusz
- 1979: Every Child — Derek Lamb
- 1978: Special Delivery — Eunice Macaulay & John Weldon
- 1977: Sand Castle — Co Hoedeman
- 1976: Leisure — Suzanne Baker
- 1975: Great — Bob Godfrey
- 1974: Closed Mondays — Will Vinton & Bob Gardiner
- 1973: Frank Film — Frank Mouris
- 1972: A Christmas Carol — Richard Williams
- 1971: The Crunch Bird — Ted Petok
- 1970: Is It Always Right to Be Right? — Nick Bosustow
- 1969: It's Tough to Be a Bird — Ward Kimball
- 1968: Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day — Walt Disney
- 1967: The Box — Fred Wolf
- 1966: A Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Double Feature — John Hubley & Faith Hubley
- 1965: The Dot and the Line — Chuck Jones & Les Goldman
- 1964: The Pink Phink — Friz Freleng & David H. DePatie
- 1963: The Critic — Ernest Pintoff
- 1962: The Hole — John Hubley & Faith Hubley
- 1961: Ersatz — Zagreb Film
- 1960: Munro — William L. Snyder
- 1959: Moonbird — John Hubley
- 1958: Knighty Knight Bugs — John W. Burton
- 1957: Birds Anonymous — Edward Selzer
- 1956: Mister Magoo's Puddle Jumper — Stephen Bosustow
- 1955: Speedy Gonzales — Edward Selzer
- 1954: When Magoo Flew — Stephen Bosustow
- 1953: Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom — Walt Disney
- 1952: Johann Mouse — Fred Quimby
- 1951: The Two Mouseketeers — Fred Quimby
- 1950: Gerald McBoing-Boing — Stephen Bosustow
- 1949: For Scent-imental Reasons — Edward Selzer
- 1948: The Little Orphan — Fred Quimby
- 1947: Tweety Pie — Edward Selzer
- 1946: The Cat Concerto — Fred Quimby
- 1945: Quiet Please! — Fred Quimby
- 1944: Mouse Trouble — Fred Quimby
- 1943: Yankee Doodle Mouse — Fred Quimby
- 1942: Der Fuehrer's Face — Walt Disney
- 1941: Lend a Paw — Walt Disney
- 1940: The Milky Way — Fred Quimby
- 1939: The Ugly Duckling — Walt Disney
- 1938: Ferdinand the Bull — Walt Disney
- 1937: The Old Mill — Walt Disney
- 1936: The Country Cousin — Walt Disney
- 1935: Three Orphan Kittens — Walt Disney
- 1934: The Tortoise and the Hare — Walt Disney
- 1933: Three Little Pigs — Walt Disney
- 1932: Flowers and Trees — Walt Disney
Academy Award for Best Short Film Animated
10. Paperman (2012)
Paperman
Paperman (2012) is a charming Oscar-winning animated short by Disney. Set in mid-century New York, it tells a romantic tale of a young man using paper planes to catch the attention of a woman he briefly met. It's noted for its unique blend of traditional and computer animation.
Disney Oscar Best Animated Short
Conclusion
Paperman is a charming and innovative animated short film that masterfully weaves romance and whimsy in its tale of a young man's creative attempt to reconnect with a woman he briefly met.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
9. The House of Small Cubes (2008)
Tsumiki no Ie (The House of Small Cubes)
Have you ever watched a film that leaves a profound impact with its simplicity and depth? The House of Small Cubes is one such masterpiece. This Japanese animated short film by Kunio Kato tells the poignant tale of an elderly man who continually builds additional levels onto his home to escape rising flood waters. Its compelling storytelling and exceptional animation earned it well-deserved recognition.
Simple Animated Short Film Oscar
Conclusion
The House of Small Cubes is a masterfully animated, deeply poignant film that beautifully explores themes of memory, aging, and the relentless passage of time.
Best Animated Short Film Oscar
8. Flowers and Trees (1932)
1932 Silly Symphony Flowers and Trees
Flowers and Trees is a groundbreaking Silly Symphonies cartoon produced by Walt Disney. Notable for being the first commercially released film to utilize the full-color three-strip Technicolor process, it narrates a whimsical tale of two trees in love, threatened by a jealous old stump.
Disney Academy Award Animated Short
Conclusion
The film's innovative use of color, enchanting storyline, and charming animation earned it the first Academy Award for Animated Short Film, marking a significant milestone in animation history
Oscar Best Animated Short
7. The Cat Concerto (1946)
Tom & Jerry - The Cat Concerto
The Cat Concerto is an iconic Tom and Jerry animated short that showcases the timeless rivalry between the scheming cat, Tom, and the clever mouse, Jerry. In this memorable episode, Tom transforms into a concert pianist, playing Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, only to be hilariously interrupted by Jerry.
Tom & Jerry Oscar Best Short Animation
Conclusion
Lauded for its comedic timing and musical brilliance, this classic animation continues to entertain audiences of all ages.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
6. Ryan (2004)
Ryan
Ryan is a groundbreaking Canadian animated short by Chris Landreth. This Oscar-winning film uses innovative 3D animation to depict the turbulent life of Ryan Larkin, a talented animator who fell into obscurity due to personal struggles. Celebrated for its unique visual style, Ryan offers a poignant exploration of creativity and the human condition.
3D Animated Short Film Oscar
Conclusion
Ryan is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of animation, encapsulating the highs and lows of an artist's life in its unique visual narrative.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
5. A Close Shave (1995)
A Close Shave - The Birth of Shaun the Sheep - Wallace and Gromit
Immerse yourself in the whimsical world of Wallace and Gromit with A Close Shave, a British stop-motion animated film that delivers both laughter and suspense. Directed by Nick Park and produced by Aardman Animations, the film weaves a tale of unexpected romance, wrongful accusations and an adorable new character, Shaun the Sheep.
Wallace and Grommit Oscar Winning Animated Short Films
Conclusion
A Close Shave (1995) brilliantly encapsulates the charm of Wallace and Gromit, offering an unforgettable blend of humor, adventure, and heart.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film Winner
4. Feast (2014)
Feast
Feast is an enchanting American 2D animated short film that offers a heartwarming glimpse into a man's love life, as seen through the eyes of his loyal dog, Winston. Directed by Patrick Osborne and produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, this Oscar-winning film cleverly narrates the story bite by bite, through the meals shared between the man and his dog.
2D Oscar Winning Animated Short Films
Conclusion
With its innovative storytelling and captivating animation, Feast serves up a delightful cinematic experience.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
3. If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)
If anything happens i love you • Official trailer
In the world of animation, few films have the power to touch the heart as deeply as If Anything Happens I Love You, an American short film that explores the complex landscape of grief and loss.
Directed by Michael Govier and Will McCormack, this Academy Award-winning masterpiece uses minimalist animation to tell the heartbreaking story of two parents grappling with a tragic loss.
Deep Award Winning Animated Short Films
Conclusion
Through its poignant narrative and evocative imagery, If Anything Happens I Love You offers a profound exploration of love, grief, and the healing process.
List of Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
2. For The Birds (2000)
Pixar - For The Birds
For the Birds is a delightful American computer-animated short film from Pixar that humorously depicts the dynamics of a group of small birds perched on a telephone wire. Directed by Ralph Eggleston, the film introduces a larger, awkward bird that disrupts their peace, leading to comedic and unexpected consequences.
Pixar’s Oscar Best Short Animated Film
Conclusion
With its clever storytelling and charming animation, For the Birds delivers a humorous yet insightful commentary on social dynamics that resonates with audiences of all ages.
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
1. The Old Man and the Sea (1999)
The Old Man and The Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is a visually stunning paint-on-glass-animated short film directed by Russian animator Aleksandr Petrov. Based on Ernest Hemingway's classic 1952 novel, it beautifully captures the epic struggle of Santiago, an old fisherman, against a giant marlin, his biggest catch ever.
Through its evocative animation and deeply human narrative, this 20-minute film offers an immersive dive into Hemingway's timeless tale of perseverance, dignity, and the cyclical nature of life.
Adaptation Short Film Animated Oscar Winner
Conclusion
The Old Man and the Sea masterfully brings Hemingway's classic tale to life, offering an evocative cinematic experience that celebrates human perseverance and the eternal dance of life.
UP NEXT
Best Animated Movies of All Time
From these powerful short films, let's now turn our attention to the cinematic masterpieces that have defined animation over the years, as we move on to explore the best animated movies of all time.
Up Next: Best Animated Movies →
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