The five directors of this year's Oscar-nominated documentary shorts have opened up about the inspirations behind their works, which tackle issues like school shootings, war in Gaza, abortion access, journalist safety, and sensorial storytelling. In conversations with Variety, they highlighted their goals to foster empathy and drive change through intimate portraits. Published on February 28, 2026, the discussions underscore the films' brief yet powerful runtime.
The Oscar-nominated documentary shorts category features five films, each running under 40 minutes, that deliver profound messages on contemporary challenges.
Joshua Seftel's 'All the Empty Rooms,' a 34-minute Netflix production, examines preserved bedrooms of eight American children killed in school shootings. Seftel stated, “There are over 100 school shootings a year in the U.S., and it’s so disheartening to me that this has become normal and acceptable to us.” He aimed to reframe the debate beyond politics, focusing on child safety, adding, “My hope is that by laying bare the stories of these empty rooms and these forgotten families who are grappling with grief and loss, we can begin to feel something again.”
Hilla Medalia's 'Children No More: Were and Are Gone,' produced by Sheila Nevins and distributed by Roadside Attractions, documents Tel Aviv activists holding silent vigils for children killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza. Medalia explained, “When I first encountered the vigil and experienced the power of their activism, I immediately felt the need to document the experience.” She viewed the silence as a tool for reflection, addressing media absences in the conflict's human toll on children.
Geeta Gandbhir and Christalyn Hampton's 32-minute HBO short 'The Devil Is Busy' follows Tracii, a security head at an Atlanta women's healthcare clinic amid abortion restrictions and protests. The directors said they created the film “because we wanted everyone to see what this intense, disturbing new reality looks like on a human level,” emphasizing emotions tied to faith, agency, and power to ensure these women are not forgotten.
Craig Renaud's 37-minute HBO documentary 'The Life and Death of Brent Renaud' honors his brother Brent, killed by Russian soldiers on March 13, 2022, while reporting in Ukraine. It compiles their joint work from conflict zones like Iraq and Somalia. Renaud noted, “According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, it is the deadliest time to be a journalist on record. Since Brent’s death... more than 400 journalists and media workers have been killed worldwide.” He hopes it will inspire protections for the free press.
Alison McAlpine's 15-minute 'Perfectly a Strangeness' offers a textless exploration of three donkeys encountering an abandoned astronomical observatory. McAlpine sought to “redefine what a story can be, working with texture, movement, light, shadow, reflections, sound, rhythm,” creating an immersive, sensorial experience beyond typical animal narratives.
