Top 250 Most-Acclaimed Short Films of All Time

Top 250 Most-Acclaimed Short Films of All Time's icon

Created by mjf314.

Favorited 106 times, disliked 1 time, added to 114 watchlists.

I compiled this list from many different polls, lists, and awards, using a weighted point system to rank the shorts. I'm defining short as any film with a runtime of 45 minutes or less.

This list focuses more on animation than the Brief Encounters list. It includes many acclaimed animated shorts which are missing from Brief Encounters, most notably The Man Who Planted Trees and Ruka.

Missing from IMDb: The Magic Fox (1982) (it would've been ranked #132)

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  1. 7 -

    Nuit et brouillard

    1956 — a.k.a. Night and Fog, in 17 top lists Check
  2. 10 -

    Listen to Britain

    1942, in 7 top lists Check
  3. 19 -

    Las Hurdes

    1933 — a.k.a. Land Without Bread, in 12 top lists Check
  4. 25 -

    Les maîtres fous

    1955 — a.k.a. The Mad Masters, in 6 top lists Check
  5. 26 -

    Le sang des bêtes

    1949 — a.k.a. Blood of the Beasts, in 10 top lists Check
  6. 37 -

    L'arrivée d'un train à La Ciotat

    1896 — a.k.a. The Arrival of a Train, in 13 top lists Check
  7. 51 -

    The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes

    1971, in 9 top lists Check
  8. 56 -

    Méditerranée

    1963, in 5 top lists Check
  9. 57 -

    Khaneh siah ast

    1963 — a.k.a. The House Is Black, in 13 top lists Check
  10. 66 -

    The Song of Ceylon

    1934, in 3 top lists Check
  11. 69 -

    A Diary for Timothy

    1945, in 5 top lists Check
  12. 75 -

    Ryan

    2004, in 2 top lists Check
  13. 91 -

    San Pietro

    1945, in 4 top lists Check
  14. 92 -

    Hôtel des Invalides

    1952, in 3 top lists Check
  15. 100 -

    Powers of Ten

    1977, in 3 top lists Check
  16. 105 -

    Reassemblage: From the Firelight to the Screen

    1983, in 4 top lists Check
  17. 124 -

    Window Water Baby Moving

    1959, in 7 top lists Check
  18. 128 -

    Die große Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner

    1974 — a.k.a. The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner, in 3 top lists Check
  19. 144 -

    Zapruder Film of Kennedy Assassination

    1970, in 2 top lists Check
  20. 146 -

    O Dreamland

    1953, in 3 top lists Check
  21. 162 -

    Manhatta

    1921, in 5 top lists Check
  22. 165 -

    À propos de Nice

    1930 — a.k.a. À Propos de Nice, in 9 top lists Check
  23. 166 -

    79 primaveras

    1969, in 5 top lists Check
  24. 180 -

    Toute la mémoire du monde

    1956, in 4 top lists Check
  25. 187 -

    Great (Isambard Kingdom Brunel)

    1975, in 1 top list Check
  26. 189 -

    Seven Up!

    1964, in 5 top lists Check
  27. 201 -

    Le fleuve aux grandes eaux

    1993 — a.k.a. The Mighty River, in 0 top lists Check
  28. 213 -

    Terminus

    1961, in 0 top lists Check
  29. 216 -

    Night Mail

    1936, in 5 top lists Check
  30. 224 -

    Les statues meurent aussi

    1953 — a.k.a. Statues also Die, in 4 top lists Check
  31. 229 -

    The Nazis Strike

    1943, in 3 top lists Check
  32. 233 -

    Vremena goda

    1975 — a.k.a. Four Seasons, in 3 top lists Check
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Last updated on Dec 31, 2011; source