Academy Awards: What the Oscars Can Teach Us About Well-Being

In 2025, the 97th Academy Awards will take place on March 2nd. Each year, this ceremony honors some of the best filmmakers in the world, and the shortlists for the ceremony in 2025 have already been released for some categories. 

The Oscars may be Hollywood’s biggest night, but beyond the red carpet glamour and acceptance speeches, the event also shines a light on something just as important—mental health. From powerful performances that depict struggles with anxiety, depression, and resilience to candid conversations from nominees about their own well-being, the Academy Awards serve as a mirror reflecting our collective emotional experiences. But beneath the prestige, the pressure of the industry can take a toll, reminding us that fame and success don’t always equal happiness. So, what can we learn from the Oscars about mental health, and how can these stories help us navigate our own emotional journeys? Let’s take a closer look.

Films can bring up challenging emotions

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When did the Oscars begin in America?

All individuals with an Academy membership can vote in any category. Films typically have to be released in at least 10 major cities, which means that limited-release films often don’t qualify. 

Short-lists for the 97th Academy Awards on March 2nd, 2025

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has announced short-lists for multiple categories. The categories with shortlists thus far are as follows: 

• Best Documentary Short Film
• Best Documentary Feature Film
• Best International Feature Film
• Best Animated Short Film
• Best Original Score
• Best Original Song
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• Best Visual Effects
• Best Live Action Short Film
• Best Sound

Best Documentary Short Film

Below are the documentary short films included on the Academy’s short-list, in alphabetical order:

• "Chasing Roo"
• "Death by Numbers"
• "Eternal Father"
• "I Am Ready, Warden"
• "Incident"
• "Instruments of a Beating Heart"
• "Keeper"
• "Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World"
• "Once upon a Time in Ukraine"
• "The Only Girl in the Orchestra"
• "Planetwalker"
• "The Quilters"
• "Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr"
• "A Swim Lesson"
• "Until He's Back"

Best Documentary Feature Film

The following documentary feature films have been short-listed by the Academy for 2025:

• "The Bibi Files"
• "Black Box Diaries"
• "Dahomey"
• "Daughters"
• "Eno"
• "Frida"
• "Hollywoodgate"
• "No Other Land"
• "Porcelain War"
• "Queendom"
• "The Remarkable Life of Ibelin"
• "Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat"
• "Sugarcane"
• "Union"
• "Will & Harper"

Best International Feature Film

Before 2020, the Best International Feature Film was known as Best Foreign Language Film. The following short-listed films in the international category are listed in alphabetical order by country:

• Brazil: "I'm Still Here"
• Canada: "Universal Language"
• Czech Republic: "Waves"
• Denmark: "The Girl with the Needle"
• France: "Emilia Pérez"
• Germany: "The Seed of the Sacred Fig"
• Iceland: "Touch"
• Ireland: "Kneecap"
• Italy: "Vermiglio"
• Latvia: "Flow"
• Norway: "Armand"
• Palestine: "From Ground Zero"
• Senegal: "Dahomey"
• Thailand: "How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies"
• United Kingdom: "Santosh"

Best Animated Short Film

The animated short-film category consists of films with a duration of 40 minutes or less. The following animated short films have been short-listed for 2025:

• "Au Revoir Mon Monde"
• "A Bear Named Wojtek"
• "Beautiful Men"
• "Bottle George"
• "A Crab in the Pool"
• "In the Shadow of the Cypress"
• "Magic Candies"
• "Maybe Elephants"
• "Me"
• "Origami"
• "Percebes"
• "The 21"
• "Wander to Wonder"
• "The Wild-Tempered Clavier"
• "Yuck!"

Best Live Action Short Film

The best live-action short film category recognizes excellence in imagery through photographic techniques. The following is the short-list for this category in 2025:

• "Anuja"
• "Clodagh"
• "The Compatriot"
• "Crust"
• "Dovecote"
• "Edge of Space"
• "The Ice Cream Man"
• "I'm Not a Robot"
• "The Last Ranger"
• "A Lien"
• "The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent"
• "The Masterpiece"
• "An Orange from Jaffa"
• "Paris 70"
• "Room Taken"

Musical contributions recognized on the red carpet

The Academy lists two categories for music: Best Original Score and Best Original Song. An original score refers to a substantial original dramatic underscoring of a film. An original song must contain words and music written specifically for a given film. 

Movies and mental health

Movies have a unique way of shaping how we understand mental health, both in ourselves and in society. A powerful film can spark empathy, challenge stigma, and even help us feel less alone in our struggles. When we see characters navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, or resilience on screen, it validates real-life experiences and opens the door for meaningful conversations. Films like A Beautiful Mind, Silver Linings Playbook, and The Whale have not only earned Oscar recognition but have also deepened public awareness of mental health issues. At the same time, Hollywood’s portrayal of mental health isn’t always perfect—sometimes reinforcing harmful stereotypes or glamorizing suffering. As audiences, it’s important to critically engage with these stories, recognizing their influence on our perceptions of mental health and well-being.

Films can bring up challenging emotions

Connect with a counselor

Support for times when films provoke challenging emotions 

While the Academy Awards can be an exciting time for film lovers, some films can spark negative memories or challenging emotions in some people. This response can happen with any film, but it may occur more often with dramatic films and those with scenes involving trauma. If you experience this challenge, it may help to speak with a counselor about difficult emotions that may arrive.

For some people, traditional in-person therapy may not always be available in their area. In these cases, online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp may be a valuable option. With online therapy, individuals can speak with a therapist from home or anywhere with an internet connection via audio, video, or live chat. They can also reach out to their therapist via in-app messaging, which may be helpful for those who experience emotional difficulty between therapy sessions. 

Research shows that online therapy can be effective for several mental health conditions. One study published in 2017 found that online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be effective for depression, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder, among other mental disorders.