Each year, Vimeo Staff Picks highlights a number of stirring short documentaries that go on to earn Academy Award nominations and wins. These films capture everything from personal redemption to global crises, all with compelling real-life storytelling. Each one delivers emotional resonance, unforgettable moments, and innovative documentary filmmaking. Whether you crave intimate human portraits or urgent historical narratives, these acclaimed shorts offer something transformative.
Incident
Creator: Bill Morrison
Categories: Documentary
Through a montage of surveillance and police body cam footage, a reconstruction of a deadly shooting by a Chicago police officer offers insight into how a narrative begins to take shape in the aftermath. The film immerses viewers in the event’s brutality—silence gives way to chaos as the victim collapses, and officers begin to scramble. With no voiceover, the raw footage raises uncomfortable questions about accountability and how narratives are shaped. It offers a sharp critique of media, policing, and public perception. Incident was nominated for a 2025 Oscar and is a winner of the Vimeo Best of the Year award.
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Instruments of a Beating Heart
Creator: Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Categories: Documentary
In a Tokyo elementary school, first graders face the daunting task of learning Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” for their school ceremony. The film centers on young Ayame, who steps into a leadership role—becoming lead percussionist—despite her fears. Through interviews and classroom scenes, it shows how Japanese education balances individual growth and collective discipline. Each child’s resilience reveals broader cultural expectations around success and community. Instruments of a Beating Heart premiered at DC/DOX in 2024, won the IDA Award for best short, and was Oscar‑nominated in 2025.
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The Last Repair Shop
Creator: Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
Categories: Documentary
Set in a downtown Los Angeles warehouse, this warm film profiles artisans who repair more than 80,000 school instruments each year. Their skilled work keeps music education alive for public school students who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Through portraits of four craftspeople and their impact on students, the documentary celebrates unsung heroes of creativity and community. Emotional and uplifting, the film underscores how art transforms lives invisibly. The Last Repair Shop won the 2024 Oscar for Best Documentary Short after premiering at Telluride and sweeping festival awards.
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Stranger at the Gate
Creator: Joshua Seftel
Categories: Documentary
Richard “Mac” McKinney, a former U.S. Marine turned Islamophobe, plans to bomb a mosque in his Indiana hometown—until the compassion he encounters changes everything. The film chronicles his transformation through interactions with the Afghan refugee community led by Bibi Bahrami. Their unlikely friendship becomes a testament to empathy, forgiveness, and humanity’s capacity to heal. It’s a deeply moving journey from hate to hope. Stranger at the Gate was Oscar-nominated in 2023 and produced by The New Yorker, part of its Emmy and Peabody, and Peabody-recognized “Secret Life of Muslims” series.
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The Queen of Basketball
Creator: Ben Proudfoot
Categories: Documentary
Lusia Harris, a trailblazing basketball star and the only woman ever drafted into the NBA, shares her journey with warmth and honesty. The film reflects on her college glory, societal barriers, and the decisions she made for family over fame. Through archival footage and personal reflections, it paints a portrait of unrecognized greatness. Her story becomes a broader conversation about gender, recognition, and legacy in sport. The Queen of Basketball won the 2022 Oscar for Best Documentary Short and famously delivered overdue recognition to Harris’s life and impact.
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Do Not Split
Creator: Anders Hammer
Categories: Documentary
This gripping chronicle follows the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests from the protesters’ perspective, capturing clashes, tear gas, and solidarity on the streets. The 35‑minute film blends on-the-ground footage with interviews from activists risking everything for democracy. It exposes both the brutality and bravery of youth-led resistance under authoritarian pressure. A raw, unfiltered glimpse into one of today’s major civil rights movements. Do Not Split earned its Oscar nomination in 2021 after being selected as the best Non-Fiction film at Sundance Film Festival by Vimeo’s curation team.
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Walk, Run, Cha‑Cha
Creator: Laura Nix
Categories: Documentary, People
After fleeing Vietnam decades earlier, Paul and Millie Cao find each other again in Los Angeles and rediscover joy through ballroom dance. Their charming journey unfolds in rehearsals, routines, and slow reconnection through movement. The film shows how love, culture, and reclaimed youth can transcend time and separation. It’s tender, quietly uplifting, and rich with personal resonance. Walk, Run, Cha‑Cha was Oscar-nominated in 2020 and celebrated for its heartfelt depiction of immigrant identity through dance.
Watch “Walk, Run, Cha‑Cha” now →
A Night at the Garden
Creator: Marshall Curry
Categories: Documentary
Using only archival footage, this short places viewers inside a 1939 Nazi rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden attended by 20,000 Americans. With no narration, its chilling scenes, flag-waving crowds, and hateful speeches speak louder than words ever could. The film forces us to confront a forgotten moment when fascism marched openly in America. Its stark simplicity heightens its historical shock. A Night at the Garden was nominated for an Oscar in 2019 and screened at Sundance and the New York Film Festival, hailed for its chilling archival impact.
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4.1 Miles
Creator: Daphne Matziaraki
Categories: Documentary
A Greek coast guard captain spends a day rescuing refugees crossing the treacherous Aegean Sea in overcrowded boats. The film’s intimate, real-time style captures both the urgency of each rescue and the psychological weight borne by both rescuer and refugee. It shows bravery, fatigue, and the human side of a global humanitarian crisis. With minimal commentary, it honors lives, lost and saved, with dignity and compassion. 4.1 Miles was Oscar-nominated in 2017 and won a Peabody Award for its compassionate, frontline storytelling.
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Vimeo’s Oscar‑nominated documentary shorts deliver stories with urgency, empathy, and cinematic excellence. Whether you seek powerful historical moments or personal journeys of transformation, these films offer unforgettable perspectives. Start watching now to experience the true potential of short-form storytelling.
