🚨 Filmmaker Alert: Oscar-Qualified Short Films Face August 13 Submission Deadline

Short filmmakers who qualified for the 99th Academy Awards before the end of June have only days left to complete their Oscar submissions.

If your short film has already qualified for consideration at the 99th Academy Awards, this is one deadline you should double-check now.

The Academy’s submission deadline for qualifying Animated Short Films, Documentary Short Films and Live Action Short Films that qualified between October 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 is:

Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

With the deadline approaching, eligible filmmakers should make sure their Academy submission, required film materials and other category-specific documentation are completed in time.

Not Every Short Film Has the Same Deadline

One detail filmmakers should be particularly careful about is the Academy’s two separate submission windows.

Short films that qualified between:

October 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
Submission deadline: August 13, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PT

Short films qualifying between:

July 1 – September 30, 2026
Submission deadline: October 8, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PT

That means filmmakers whose shorts qualified before July should not assume the October deadline applies to their film.

Who Should Check This?

This reminder is particularly relevant to filmmakers whose short qualified through an eligible film festival or another Academy-approved qualifying route during the earlier eligibility period.

The deadline applies across the Academy’s three short-film categories:

• Animated Short Film
• Documentary Short Film
• Live Action Short Film

Filmmakers should confirm that their film meets the applicable qualification requirements before submitting.

For Live Action Short Film, for example, the Academy states that the submitted version must be identical in content and length to the version that originally qualified. Live-action shorts must also have a running time of no more than 40 minutes, including credits.

Requirements can vary between categories and qualification routes, so filmmakers should rely on the current Academy rules for their specific category rather than assuming the requirements are identical.

What Filmmakers Should Do Now

If your short qualified between October 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, check your Academy submission as soon as possible rather than leaving it until August 13.

Make sure you have:

• Confirmed your film’s eligibility and qualifying route
• Completed the appropriate Academy submission form
• Uploaded the required film file
• Added captions and other required materials where applicable
• Checked credits, filmmaker information and supporting documentation
• Reviewed the rules for your specific short-film category

First-time entrants may also need to register for access to the Academy’s submission system, so filmmakers who have not yet started the process should factor that into their preparations.

The 99th Oscars Take Place in March 2027

The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled for March 14, 2027.

For filmmakers already holding an Oscar-qualifying festival award or another valid qualification from the earlier eligibility window, however, the immediate date that matters is August 13, 2026.

If that applies to your film, consider this your reminder to check the submission portal now.