98th "Oscar": shortlists announced, competition strong

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially announced the short-lists in 12 categories for the 98th Oscar Awards. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

This stage is an important process every year that identifies the best projects and paves the way for the main nominations. Among the most frequently mentioned works in the short-lists, the film *Sinners* directed by Ryan Kugler and the musical *Wicked: For Good* stood out.

These projects were simultaneously nominated in several technical categories and music sections. This year, the short-lists covered the following categories: animated short films, short films featuring actors, documentary films (both feature-length and short), international films, casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, sound design, visual effects, as well as music categories — original song and original soundtrack.

The music section in particular attracted great interest. It was noted that among the works selected for the short-list are pieces by famous performers such as Nine Inch Nails, Miley Cyrus, and Ed Sheeran.

This indicates strong competition in the music category. In the next stage, voting for the nominations will take place from January 12 to 16, 2026.

The official nominees are scheduled to be announced on January 22. For reference, the 98th Oscar Awards ceremony will be held on March 15, 2026.

The event will be hosted by the well-known comedian and showman Conan O’Brien. For cinema enthusiasts, the main excitement and anticipation are still ahead.