Bizarre Christmas Cartoons: Evil Snowmen, Santa Embryos, And Psychedelic Holiday Tales
Tired of the same-old holiday animation classics? Here are some off-the-wall Christmas cartoons you might have missed.
Shorts
Oscars Shortlists Announced: Animation Projects Compete In Record 7 Shortlist Categories
The animated short film shortlist is led by films from France and Japan.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘In The Stars’ Director Gabriel Osorio Vargas
This Oscar-qualified short set in the ‘Star Wars’ universe has parallels with the real-life genocide of Indigenous Patagonian people in Chile.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘A Crab In The Pool’ Directors Alexandra Myotte And Jean-Sebastien Hamel
This Oscar contending short takes place in a run-down neighborhood, where Zoe and her little brother Theo are left to fend for themselves.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Nube’ Directors Christian Arredondo And Diego Alonso Sánchez de la Barquera Estrada
The short earned its Oscars qualification by winning the Ojo for Best Mexican Animated Short Film at Morelia International Film Festival.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Remember Us’ Director Pablo Leon
In this uncompromising 2d short, a journalist documents the experiences of people who lived through the tragic 12-year-long Salvadoran civil war in the 1980s.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The 21′ Director Tod Polson
‘The 21,’ crafted in the style of Coptic iconography, is a film honoring the 21 Coptic men murdered by ISIS in 2015.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Prostrate and Draw Near’ Directors Suraya AlShehry And Nabila Abuljadayel
Based on true events, ‘Prostrate and Draw Near’ portrays a unique spiritual moment in an almost empty Holy Mosque of Makkah during the COVID-19 lockdown.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘A Bear Named Wojtek’ Director Iain Gardner
Gardner’s hand-drawn animated film tells the real-life story of a bear that legend says played a key role during a battle of World War II.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Zoo’ Director Tariq Rimawi
Based on true events, ‘Zoo’ was inspired by the world’s worst zoo located in Gaza.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘La Perra’ Director Carla Melo Gampert
The Colombian short is in contention after winning three Oscar-qualifying festivals.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Duck’ Director Elie Chapuis
Vladimir and Olga hope for a child, but this expectation soon turns into a nightmare in this eerie short where dreams and reality collide through stop-motion animation.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The Garden of Heart’ Director Olivér Hegyi
An artist battles with his inner demons in this award-winning Hungarian short.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Nate & John’ Director Jumai Yusuf
Barbershops and salons are “one of the last spaces in modern society that nurtures face-to-face connections, allowing people to bond on a basic human level,” says director Jumai Yusuf about the setting of her short film.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The Lovers’ Director Caroline Sandvik
In this short mixing horror and unromantic comedy, Carolina Sandvik unveils her own vision about the life of a couple forced to deal with escalating bodily transformations.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘And Granny Would Dance’ Director Maryam Mohajer
Based on the director’s memories of her childhood in Iran, ‘And Granny Would Dance’ is a beautifully woven tale of love, grief and resilience across generations, infused with music, dance, and empowering characters.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The Family Portrait’ Director Lea Vidaković
As Austro-Hungary teeters on collapse, Andras and his daughter are taken aback by the visit from Andras’ brother, Zoltan, who comes accompanied by his large family.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘An Almost Christmas Story’ Director David Lowery
Director David Lowery wanted to make a Christmas film that had the potential to create memories for younger viewers in the same way that classic holiday films impacted him.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Curiosa’ Director Tessa Moult-Milewska
‘Curiosa’ explores the question of how much we should know about our romantic partners, and how much is too much.
2025 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Luki & The Lights’ Director Toby Cochran
The production of this film “reaffirmed my belief in animation’s ability to deeply impact people’s lives,” says director Toby Cochran.
