^{Credit: Decorado (GKIDS), In Waves (Netflix), Julián (Cartoon Saloon), Iron Boy (Sony Pictures Classics), Lucy Lost (Xilam Animation), Jim Queen (Bobbypills uMedia), Monster Mia (Arx Anima Animation Studio), Viva Carmen (Folivari)}

The European Film Academy has announced their shortlists for the 39th European Film Awards. In the Best Animated Feature Film category, the following eight features have been shortlisted: 

Decorado

In Waves 

Iron Boy

Jim Queen

Julián

Lucy Lost

Monster Mia 

Viva Carmen

This list will be narrowed down when the EFA nominations are announced on November 14, 2026, during the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The ceremony is being held in Athens on January 16th, 2027. Last year, five animated features were ultimately nominated, with Arco emerging as the winner. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain was also nominated that year. Both Arco and Little Amélie would go on to be nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. A year earlier, Flow won at EFA on its way to prevailing at the Oscars. 

Will any of this year's EFA contenders carry over to the Best Animated Feature Oscar race? Of the eight animated films shortlisted at EFA, three currently have U.S. distribution: Decorado (GKIDS), In Waves (Netflix), and Iron Boy (Sony Pictures Classics). Whether the other five films will qualify for Oscar consideration remains to be seen. They've all made strong impressions on the festival circuit, however. Jim Queen, Lucy Lost, and Viva Carmen all premiered at Cannes, while Julián and Monster Mia made their debuts at Annecy, in what's sure to go down as a great year for international animation. 

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!