The finalists for the jury judged categories for the British Animation Awards (BAAs) were announced on Feb. 6, 2006. The awards, to be held on Thursday, March 9, 2006, at the Shaw Theatre, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the only ceremony in Britain to recognize all forms of animation.

Aardman Animation is in the running for a total of three awards. In addition to Best Feature for WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, their ANGRY KID will compete in the Best TV Special Category and CREATURE COMFORTS is pitched for Best Comedy.

Overall, animation house Passion Pictures has gained four nominations two for Best Commercial: Craft, and for Film at the Cutting Edge and Best Music Video. The BBC and ITV are level pegging with five nominations apiece. Channel Four has four, Nickelodeon three and Five two nominations. Hit Entertainment, Tiger Aspect and HatTrick/Decode are amongst the big name independent television production companies making the grade this year.

The team of Smith & Foulkes swept up all three finalist spots in the Best Commercial: Direction category for their work on Honda: GRRR, NSPCC: SPEECH BUBBLE and VW Touareg: RACING LINE.

The public also gets to voice its opinion in the Public Choice Awards. Special screenings of mixed programs for the Public Choice: Best Music Video, Commercial and Short Film can be seen in independent cinemas across the country until the end of the month.

The Awards themselves are unique artworks created specially for the occasion by a range of leading international and U.K. animation artists. The artworks have to feature one or more sheep, with the option for a visual reference to the U.K. and/or animation. Animation luminaries such as Nick Park, Tim Burton, Gabor Csupo, Chuck Jones and Peter Lord have all previously created BAAs. There will be an exhibition of this year’s BAA’s at the Animation Art Gallery on Great Castle Street in London W1 from Feb. 23 for two weeks.

The finalists include:

Best Animated Feature Film
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT
Directors: Nick Park & Steve Box
Aardman Features and Dreamworks Animation

CORPSE BRIDE
Directors: Mike Johnson and Tim Burton
Warner Bros.

BELLEVILLE RENDEZ VOUS
Director: Sylvain Chomet

Best Children's Series
KING ARTHUR’S DISASTERS: Circus Calamity
Director: Edward Bignell
Producer: Julian Scott
Produced by Zenith Ent. Ltd. for ITV

PINGU’S SLEDGE ACADEMY
Director: Steve Cox
Producer: Bella Tomlinson
Produced by Hot Animation Ltd. for Hit Ent. Ltd. for BBC

THOSE SCURVY RASCALS: Pants Odyssey
Director: Oliver Hyatt
Producer: Adam Shaw
Produced by Blue Zoo Prods. for Nickelodeon

Best TV Special
LITTLE REINDEER
Director: Dave Unwin
Producer: Jonathan Peel
A Millimages UK Ltd. Production for ITV

THE KOALA BROTHERS: Outback Christmas Special
Director: Tobias Fouracre
Producer: Peter Curtis
A Famous Flying Films/Spellbound Ent. production for CBBC Animation

ANGRY KID: Who do you think you are?
Director: Darren Walsh
Producer: Jacky Priddle
An Aardman Production for BBC3

Best Children's Pre-School Series
CHARLIE AND LOLA: I Want To Play Music Too
Director: Kitty Taylor
Producer: Claudia Lloyd
A Tiger Aspect Production for BBC1

MEG AND MOG: Meg’s Fancy Dress
Director: Roger Mainwood
Producer: Carl Gorham
Produced by Absolutely Prods. for CITV

PEPPA PIG: Mummy Pig at Work
Director: Mark Baker & Neville Astley
Producer: Phil Davies
An Astley Baker Davies/Contender Ent. Group Production association with Five and Nick Junior

Best Comedy
BROMWELL HIGH: Baby Boom
Director: Pete Bishop
Producer: Anil Gutpa
A Hat Trick/Decode Co production for Channel 4

CREATURE COMFORTS: Monarchy Business
Director: Richard Goleszowski
Producer: Gareth Owen & Julie Lockheart
An Aardman Animations production for ITV

THE CHRISTIES: Natural Disaster
Director: Phil Mulloy