On December 16, 2025, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the official shortlists for the 98th Academy Awards, marking one of the major milestones in the 2026 Oscar season. Razom Cinema celebrates the achievements of all filmmakers whose works were part of this season, with particular recognition for films that amplify Ukrainian voices and stories connected to Ukraine.
This year’s shortlists reflect a wide range of timely, socially resonant, and artistically accomplished works, underscoring the continued global relevance of cinema rooted in lived experience and cultural truth. Over the years, Razom Cinema has supported films that center Ukrainian perspectives and bring stories from Ukraine to international audiences.
As the 2026 Oscar race moves forward, we want to congratulate all filmmakers whose work has been recognized by the Academy, acknowledging not only the honor of being shortlisted, but the dedication, creative excellence, and impact that led to this moment.
Final Oscar nominations will be announced in January 2026, with the Academy Awards ceremony scheduled for March 2026. Our team collected the list of this year’s contenders to give you a deeper insight into the top films from and about Ukraine that made it to the Academy nomination, take a look below!
Documentary feature
2000 Meters to Andriivka (dir. Mstyslav Chernov)
Ukraine, United States, 2025
Amid the failing counteroffensive, a journalist follows a Ukrainian platoon on their mission to traverse one mile of heavily fortified forest and liberate a strategic village from Russian occupation. But the farther they advance through their destroyed homeland, the more they realize that this war may never end.
‘2000 Meters to Andrrivka’ was screened as a part of the Ukrainian Cultural Festival cinema program in October 2025 in NYC. Razom Cinema partners with Mstyslav Chernov and the PBS producing team supporting their ongoing distribution for educational purposes through our Ukraine on Campus program.
Streaming: Youtube or PBS website starting Nov. 25th
Follow for more updates: 2000meterstoandriivka.com
Sanatorium (Dir. Gar O’Rourke) Ireland, Ukraine, France, 2025
Despite a war close by, mud treatments and electro-therapies continue at Kuyalnik Sanatorium near Odesa in southern Ukraine, where a small group searches for love, healing & happiness.
Streaming: BBC Storyville & MUBI
For more information: garorourke.com/portfolio/sanatorium
Viktor (dir. Olivier Sabril)
Viktor, a young Deaf man in Kharkiv, watches warily during the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A fan of samurai films and raised on stories of war, he dreams of becoming a warrior but is repeatedly denied when he tries to enlist. Eager to find purpose, Viktor embarks on a quest to find his place in the midst of a war he cannot hear.
“Viktor” was screened as a part of the Ukrainian Cultural Festival cinema program in October 2025 in NYC.
For more information: viktorfilm.com
Checkpoint Zoo (dir. Josh Zeman)
United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, 2024
When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the world watched in horror as cities came under relentless fire. But few knew of the quiet heroism unfolding just outside Kharkiv, where the Feldman Ecopark Zoo sat between advancing Russian forces and the Ukrainian defenders.
More than 5,000 animals were trapped in the crossfire – helpless, frightened, and in desperate need of rescue. Against impossible odds, a small team of zookeepers and volunteers risked their lives day after day to save these creatures.
This is not just a story about animals. It is about humanity, resilience, and the Ukrainian spirit of defying destruction with compassion and courage.
Razom Cinema was able to host a special screening of Checkpoint Zoo at the Ukrainian Action Summit in DC before the theatrical release in the U.S. – connecting advocates to the story so that they can bring it to their communities and support the film in the theaters.
For more information: checkpointzoo.com
Animated Shorts
I Died in Irpin (dir. Anastasiia Falileieva)
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, 2024
At the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Falileieva and her boyfriend leave Kyiv to visit his parents in Irpin. The city becomes a battleground, but the danger is not only outside the house.
‘On February 24th in the morning, my boyfriend and I decided to go from Kyiv to Irpin to see his parents. It is hard for me to recall the chronology of those days. My mind blocks and minimises all the memories, erases them, but the only thing I know for sure is that every day, everything rapidly becomes worse.’
Bound (dir. Masha Ellsworth) USA, Ukraine, Germany, 2024
Against a backdrop of pastoral beauty, Ivanko and Galya must navigate a maze of miscommunications and pride, leaving them to question whether their love can truly blossom.
‘Bound’ was screened as a part of the Ukrainian Cultural Festival cinema program in October 2025 in NYC.
For more information: masha-makes-movies.com/bound
Narrative short
Rock, Paper, Scissors (dir. Franz Böhm)
Ivan and his father, operating a small hospital at the frontline, are tested when a platoon of Russian soldiers approach their building, forcing them to make a difficult decision in order to protect their patients and their own lives.
The film features Ukrainian actor Oleksandr Rudyndkyi and won the 2025 BAFTA for Best British Short Film.
For more information:
Make sure to follow our newsletter and social media for announcements on how to catch these films and more! In the meantime, we urge you to connect with your local theaters, art institutions, and other locations where you could potentially host a screening of one of these films (or reach out if you’re looking for more). Watch the films, bring your friends, and take it to social media to make noise around them!