Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Jeremy Lin's short films qualified for Oscar consideration

Best live-action short, best documentary short, and best animated short are the three Oscar categories that honour films that are 40 minutes or less. These categories are frequently thought of as "small," but this year's possible contenders in the short film category will have some big names.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor Swift's directorial debut, 'All Too Well: The Short Film', which the pop star has described as "a film about an effervescent, curious young woman who ends up completely out of her depth," is eligible for an Oscar nomination.

This news follows recent Academy Awards ceremonies at which celebrities like retired NBA legend Kobe Bryant, former NFL player Matthew A. Cherry, and Hollywood A-lister Riz Ahmed brought home awards for short films.

A decade after the debut of her much-praised power ballad 'All Too Well,' Swift wrote and directed the 14-minute film, which ran at the AMC Lincoln Square for one week last fall, from November 12 (the day of its premiere there) until November 18.

Swift has never had an Oscar nomination, however, this year she is gaining attention for her original song 'Carolina,' which is used in the film 'Where the Crawdads Sing.' The star gave 'All Too Well: The Short Film' some fresh energy during the Tribeca Film Festival in summer.

On June 11, she attended a screening of the film at a packed Beacon Theatre with her leading lady Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) and her leading man Dylan O'Brien (Teen Wolf). She spoke with filmmaker/fan Mike Mills about the film, citing Barbara Stanwyck's works, particularly 1937's 'Stella Dallas', as major influences and emphasising, "This is not a music video," before performing 'All Too Well' live for enamoured fans.

Swift is not the only musician whose film will possibly compete for the Oscar for best live-action short. 'We Cry Together', a six-minute short film directed by Kendrick Lamar and starring Taylour Paige from 'Zola', based on the song of the same name from his May album 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,' was quietly shown at the Laemmle Royal Theater in West Los Angeles from June 3 through June 9, earning it entry into the competition.

• Americas