Irish animation and live-action production companies are celebrating a major year for Irish film as Retirement Plan, Bugonia and a number of Irish creatives secure nominations for the 98th Academy Awards®, taking place at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, 15 March 2026.
This year’s nominations underline a strong Irish presence across multiple categories, spanning animation, live action and craft. Jessie Buckley is recognised for her performance in Hamnet, while Irish VFX artist Richard Baneham is nominated in the Visual Effects category for his work on Avatar: Fire and Water, and Wild Atlantic Pictures’ Blue Moon is nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor for Ethan Hawke.
Dublin-based independent animator John Kelly has seen his animated short Retirement Plan, voiced by Domhnall Gleeson, progress from a long list of 10 films to the final five contenders for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards®. The film, which won Best Animated Short Film – Ireland at the 2025 Irish Animation Awards, follows Ray, who is dissatisfied with life and dreams of the beauty and joy he’ll find when work finally ends. Retirement Plan is directed by John Kelly, with a script co‑written by Tara Lawall and John Kelly, and is narrated by Domhnall Gleeson. It is produced by Julie Murnaghan and Andrew Freedman for Antidote Films and funded through Frameworks, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and RTÉ’s flagship animation short film scheme.
Congratulations to John Kelly and all the team behind the superb Retirement Plan. Irish animation has a long track record in garnering Oscar nominations, reflecting Ireland’s position as a global centre of excellence in animation. It’s wonderful to see our proud storytelling tradition represented yet again on the world stage and good luck to John, Tara, Antidote Films and all the team next month at the Academy Awards.
Ronan McCabe, CEO – Animation Ireland
These nominations represent a remarkable recognition of the artistic strength and range of Irish creative talent. It is another powerful moment for the Irish screen industry and underlines the importance of supporting talent and investing in filmmakers and artists. Screen Ireland is particularly proud to have supported Retirement Plan through the Frameworks animated short film scheme, in partnership with RTÉ. The film is a quietly profound testament to living life that has resonated deeply with audiences around the world. We are immensely proud to see Irish storytelling and talent so strongly represented on the global stage and wish those nominated all the best at the Academy Awards ceremony in March.
Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive – Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland
Animation Ireland has also extended congratulations to member studio Cartoon Saloon, which was long‑listed in Best Animated Short for Éiru, and to Irish friends and colleagues including two‑time Oscar winner Richard Baneham, as well as Element Pictures’ Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe. Retirement Plan will compete for Best Animated Short against Florence Miailhe’s Butterfly, Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears’ Forevergreen, Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski’s The Girl Who Cried Pearls and Timur Kognov’s The Three Sisters.
I wish to congratulate Jessie Buckley on her deserved Oscar nomination for her role in “Hamnet”. Jessie is a supremely talented actor, who has demonstrated her incredible range in films such as “The Lost Daughter”, “Wild Rose” and “Women Talking” and smash hit television shows like “Chernobyl” and “Fargo”. I wish Jessie the very best of luck, and every possible success, at the Academy Awards ceremony on 15 March. The whole of Killarney, Kerry and Ireland will be cheering her on.
I would also like to extend my warmest congratulations to Coleraine’s Maggie O’Farrell, author of Hamnet, who has been nominated alongside director Chloe Zhao for Best Adapted Screenplay. And, of course, I will also be cheering on several other Irish nominees on the night of 15 March. Wild Atlantic Pictures’ movie “Blue Moon”, which was made almost entirely in Ireland, was supported by Section 481 tax relief, “Bugonia”, produced by Irish company Element Pictures, received nominations; as has animated short “Retirement Plan”, directed by John Kelly and starring the voice of Domhnall Gleeson as Ray. And it is little surprise that the talents of Richard Baneham are recognised again for his VFX work on “Avatar: Fire and Ash”.
Patrick O’Donovan, T.D. – Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport
Ireland’s ongoing international success in film, television and animation is remarkable. It reflects Ireland’s investment in our screen industries. As Minister I will make sure that that investment is continued. I wish each of them the best, and hope for a very successful night for the Irish film industry in March.
Dublin-based Element Pictures is celebrating four nominations for Yorgos Lanthimos’ darkly comedic thriller Bugonia, including Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Emma Stone, Best Adapted Screenplay for Will Tracy and Best Original Score for Jerskin Fendrix. Starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, Bugonia follows two conspiracy‑obsessed young men who burst out of their online rabbit holes to kidnap a high‑powered CEO they are convinced is an alien intent on destroying Earth. Bugonia continues Element Pictures’ longstanding creative partnership with Lanthimos, marking their sixth collaboration after The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite, Poor Things, and Kinds of Kindness. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August 2025, has built strong awards momentum with Golden Globe, Gotham and Critics’ Choice recognition, and features cinematography by Irish DoP Robbie Ryan, who was previously Oscar‑nominated for Poor Things.
Established in 2001 and headquartered on O’Connell Street in Dublin, Element Pictures productions have now amassed 30 Academy Award nominations and six wins, including four Oscars for Poor Things in 2024 – the most Academy Award wins for an Irish‑produced film to date.
We’re honoured that Bugonia has been nominated for four Academy Awards, and in these important categories. We’re proud of everyone involved, and we’re delighted to see the film receiving such wonderful recognition as the awards season continues.
We are so proud of Yorgos, Emma, Jesse, Will, Jerskin and all the incredible talent behind Bugonia, and once again so grateful to the amazing Element team in O’Connell Street who have worked so hard to help bring the film to life and out into the world.
Element Pictures co‑CEOs and founders Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe
All eyes now on the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on 15 March 2026.