Short films may lack the scale and sweep of their feature-length siblings, but the best of them offer a promise of perfection in miniature and a reminder that cinema is often an art of patience, precision, and detail. These bite-sized gems combine imaginative daring with meticulous attention to craft and are a surefire way to improve your odds in the Oscar pool. Total runtime: 1h40m

And the nominees are:

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
1993, Bosnia and Herzegovina. A passenger train is stopped by paramilitary forces in an ethnic cleansing operation. As they haul off innocent civilians, only one man out of 500 passengers dares to stand up to them.
D: Nebojsa Slijepcevic, Croatia, 2024, 13m

Anuja
When a gifted 9-year-old girl, who works in a garment factory, is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend school, she is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision that will determine her and her sister's fate. Produced by Mindy Kaling '01!
D: Adam J. Graves, United States, 2024, 22m

I'm Not a Robot
After repeatedly failing Captcha tests, music producer Lara becomes obsessed with a disturbing question: could she be a robot?
D: Victoria Warmerdam, Belgium, 2023, 22m

A Lien
A young couple face up to and deal with a dangerous immigration process.
D: David Cutler-Kreutz, Sam Cutler-Kreutz, United States, 2023, 15m

The Last Ranger
When young Litha is introduced to the magic of a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, they are ambushed by poachers. In the ensuing battle to save the rhinos, Litha discovers a terrible secret.
D: Cindy Lee, South Africa, 2024, 28m