Overview
Film lovers across the globe will unite to view and vote on the finalists in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival. Screened simultaneously at hundreds of venues around the world, MANHATTAN SHORT gives audiences the opportunity to help determine the winners of the Best Film and Best Actor awards.
For the first time in the festival’s history, the 2026 program features ten films from ten different countries—fulfilling founding director Nicholas Mason’s vision of a “filmic Olympiad” that brings the world together through the art of short film. Each finalist also becomes automatically qualified for Academy Award consideration.
The 2026 finalists are:
Small Talk (USA), Mary Is Missing (Ireland), Candy Bar (Australia), Vultures (South Africa), Life Goes On (United Kingdom), Hai Davai (Moldova), Pickup (Russia), Norheimsund (Cuba), When the Sea Was Calm (Georgia), and Never Give Up (Mexico).
Join us for this one-of-a-kind global celebration of cinema—and cast your vote for the films and performances you think deserve top honors.
