Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata Receive Oscar for Short Film at 2026 Academy Awards

At the 2026 Academy Awards in Los Angeles, artist Alexandre Singh and art historian Natalie Musteata were awarded an Oscar for their short film 'Two People Exchanging Saliva' (2024), which tied for first place in the live action short category with Sam Davis's 'The Singers' (2025). This marked their initial Oscar nomination and a rare tie in the awards' history. In her acceptance, Musteata thanked the Academy for backing a film described as unconventional and queer, with a predominantly female production team. The black-and-white work depicts a society where kissing is a capital offense. Singh, a Franco-English artist based in New York represented by Sprüth Magers, has had solo exhibitions at venues like Ballroom Marfa and the Legion of Honor.