Japanese contributions featured in the 2025 Academy Awards nominations include a heartwarming documentary and a South Korea-Japan animated collaboration.
jpeg-optimizer_AWARDS-OSCARSNOMINATIONS- Reuters

Finished mounted Oscar Statuettes are seen at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York, US, January 25, 2018. Picture taken January 25, 2018. (©Reuters by Shannon Stapleton)

On January 23, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled the shortlists for 10 categories of the 97th Academy Awards

Among the nominees, three were from Japan, in the documentary and animated category. More details are below.

"The Making of a Japanese" by Ema Ryan Yamazaki is the longer version of "Instruments of a Beating Heart". (©
Cineric Creative / NHK / Pystymetsä / Point du Jour)

Short Documentary Earns Historic Oscar Nomination

Notably in the short documentary section, the New York Times Op-Doc "Instruments of a Beating Heart" was present. The short film is by Ema Ryan Yamazaki, a British-Japanese filmmaker. It condenses into twenty minutes the heartwarming portrayal of a Tokyo elementary school. Through the uplifting portrayal centered around a little girl, Yamazaki showcases how Japanese elementary schools teach key values such as empathy and community. 

"I am so overjoyed, I am speechless," shared Yamazaki in an Instagram post in Japanese. "For a decade I've been wanting to shine a light on Japan's education system," she added. "To realize this dream in this way makes me incredibly grateful." 

The film is a shorter version of "The Making of a Japanese," a feature-length documentary that debuted in Japan in December 2024. 

This marks the first time a Japanese director has been nominated in the short documentary category.

Japan-South Korea Collaboration Shines in Animated Short Film Category

Under the title of "Magic Candies," this animated short film is directed by industry veteran, Daisuke Nishio. Anime fans might know him for his work on the Dragon Ball Z anime series and Dr Slump. 

"Magic Candies" is a CGI-animated film starring a lonely boy. He one day eats a mysterious candy and gains the magical ability to hear the inner voices of people and objects around him.

The storyline is based on short stories by South Korean Heena Baek, the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award laureate.

Finally, in the documentary section "Black Box Diaries" was also nominated. Japanese journalist Shiori Ito directs a film about herself in which she portrays her journey in accusing another reporter of sexual misconduct. 

Follow JAPAN Forward as we cover Japanese entries at the 97th Oscars, on March 2 in Los Angeles, California. 

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Author: Arielle Busetto

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