Filmmaker Natalie Musteata, of Armenian descent, has won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film at the 2026 Academy Awards for “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” marking a major moment for Armenian representation in global cinema.
The surreal French-language short, which Musteata co-directed with her husband Alexandre Singh, premiered at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival and quickly gained international recognition for its striking visual style and unconventional concept. Shot entirely in black and white, the film depicts a surreal society where kissing is punishable by death and people pay for goods by receiving slaps to the face.
The film features narration by Vicky Krieps (“Phantom Thread”) and stars Zar Amir Ebrahimi (“Holy Spider”) and Luana Bajrami (“Portrait of a Lady on Fire”). It was executive produced by Julianne Moore and Isabelle Huppert.
Before winning the Oscar, the film had already received major international acclaim on the festival circuit. It earned the Grand Jury Prize at AFI Fest, as well as the Canal+ Award and the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, one of the world’s most important festivals dedicated to short films.
Musteata is a writer, curator, and filmmaker who holds a Doctorate in Art History and a Master’s degree in Film from The Graduate Center. Her work frequently explores themes of identity, culture, and storytelling through experimental cinematic approaches.
Speaking previously about her heritage in an interview with screenwriter John August, Musteata said: “My family’s from Armenia. They went to France in exile. I grew up with the two languages.”
Following its festival success, “Two People Exchanging Saliva” continues to reach audiences internationally and is currently streaming in the United States through The New Yorker’s YouTube channel and on Canal+ in France.
