The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday that the list number of films in contention for the Documentary Short Subject nomination has been narrowed down to eight films. Out of those eight, only three to five will earn Oscar nominations.

The eight competing for an Oscar nom are:

“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement,” Purposeful Productions, Inc.

“God Is the Bigger Elvis,” Documentress Films

“In Tahrir Square: 18 Days of Egypt’s Unfinished Revolution,” Downtown Docs

“Incident in New Baghdad,” Morninglight Films

“Pipe Dreams,” Leslie Iwerks Productions

“Saving Face,” Milkhaus/Jungefilm

“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom,” Supply & Demand Integrated
“Witness,” Buche

The teams behind the doc shorts will hear if they’ve earned a nomination when the 84th Academy Awards nominations are announced January 24, 2012 at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

The three to five nominees will then have to wait to see if they’ve won the coveted prize when the Academy Awards air February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and Highland Center. As always, the awards show will be televised live by ABC.

Which films would you like to see earn nominations? Give us your opinions in the comments section below.