Short Film News (SFN) - Shorts International will distribute this year's Oscar nominated short films in the US on February 6.

Short films in the live-action and animated categories will go to theatres before the 81st Academy Awards ceremony on February 22 in order to give viewers the chance to see the nominated films.

This year's release will be supported in part by Magnolia Pictures. The Oscar Shorts program will open in select theatres and expand to 60 cities throughout the country over the following weeks.

Nominated short films will also be released on iTunes on February 17.

The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22.